Patent ID: 8818262

Claim:
A communications system for space equipment items of a satellite, the system comprising: a plurality of space equipment items coupled to operational data buses for data communication during a real operational mode of the satellite, each of the plurality of space equipment items comprising at least one smart coupler that comprises internal and external wireless communication means for internal and external satellite communication, a processor, an internal memory, a transmission/reception circuit, and at least one high-frequency antenna, said internal memory of said at least one smart coupler comprising means for at least one of the following functions: automatically saving parameters relating to the operation of the space equipment item with which the at least one smart coupler is associated, storing technical data relating to the space equipment item with which said at least one smart coupler is associated, and storing self-test procedures relating to the space equipment item with which said at least one smart coupler is associated, the self-test procedures being configured to be executed remotely, wherein said internal and external wireless communication means are configured to form an embedded wireless network having an evanescent data bus, and wherein said evanescent data bus is configured to operate ground and onboard diagnostic functions of said plurality of space equipment items and to operate onboard data communication between said plurality of space equipment items.