Patent ID: 8016240

Claim:
A method for implementing a satellite fleet, wherein the satellite fleet includes multiple-satellites whose orbital planes have separated nodes, the method comprising: launching a first launch vehicle, which contains a first group of the multiple satellites within a first payload fairing of the first launch vehicle; releasing the first group from the first payload fairing into an initial orbit; performing a first series of one or more orbit changes to transition a first satellite of the first group from the initial orbit to an a first operational orbit having a first operational orbit apogee altitude that is higher than an initial orbit apogee altitude; performing a second series of one or more orbit changes to transition a second satellite of the first group from the initial orbit to the a second operational orbit, wherein performing the second series includes establishing a first desired nodal separation between the first satellite and the second satellite by allowing the second satellite to drift for one or more first drift time periods at one or more orbits having apogee altitudes below a second operational orbit apogee altitude; placing into operation, proximate to the Earth within a coverage area of a plurality of aimed beams from the first group, an uplink hub transmitting uplink television signals toward the first satellite and the second satellite and a plurality of direct television antennas configured to receive a plurality of downlink television signals from the first group; and broadcasting, by the plurality of aimed beams from the first group, the plurality of downlink television signals to the plurality of direct television antennas in response to receiving the plurality of uplink television signals.