Small satellite constellation for worldwide surveillance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11820535-B2
Application number	US-202117478531-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 17, 2021
Priority date	Sep 17, 2021
Publication date	Nov 21, 2023
Grant date	Nov 21, 2023

Abstract

A satellite observation system and method of deploying a satellite system are disclosed. The system includes a plurality of observation satellites comprising one or more sensors, each of the plurality of observation satellites configured with at least a solar array and a mechanical stabilization element. Each of the plurality of observation satellites is constructed without positioning components. The plurality of observation satellites is positioned in a dawn/dusk sun-synchronous orbital plane about a celestial body such that the one or more observation sensors are oriented toward the celestial body. The system further includes one or more servicing vehicles configured to engage each of the plurality observational satellites to configure at least the solar array and mechanical stabilization element

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A satellite observation system, comprising:
a plurality of observation satellites comprising one or more passive sensors, each of the plurality of observation satellites configured with at least an undeployed solar array and a passive mechanical stabilization element, each of the plurality of observation satellites constructed without attitude positioning components and propulsion hardware, the plurality of observation satellites positioned in a dawn/dusk sun-synchronous orbital plane about a celestial body such that the one or more passive sensors are oriented toward the celestial body; and
one or more servicing vehicles including at least one robotic arm configured to engage each of the plurality observation satellites, a processor, and a memory, the memory including instructions that cause the processor to direct the at least one robotic arm to deploy at least the solar array and the passive mechanical stabilization element of the observation satellites.

2. The observation system of claim 1 wherein the one or more servicing vehicles is configured to engage any of the plurality of observation satellites upon a malfunction of a component of the observation satellite.

3. The observation system of claim 1 wherein the one or more servicing vehicles is configured to reposition any of the plurality of observation satellites when a change in position of one or more observation satellites in the orbital plane is detected.

4. The observation system of claim 1 wherein the passive sensors are optical sensors.

5. The observation system of claim 1 wherein the one or more servicing vehicles is configured to engage the observation satellite to induce rotation of the observation satellite about an inertial axis of the observation satellite.

6. The observation system of claim 1 wherein each of the observation satellites is constructed without energy storage.

7. The observation system of claim 1 wherein the celestial body is Earth, and wherein the plurality of observation satellites and passive sensors, when positioned in the orbital plane, are evenly spaced such that every point on Earth's surface is observed as Earth rotates though the orbital plane.

8. A method of deploying an orbital observation system, comprising:
launching a plurality of observation satellites comprising one or more passive sensors, each of the plurality of observation configured with at least an undeployed solar array and a passive mechanical stabilization element, each of the plurality of observational satellites configured without attitude positioning elements and propulsion hardware;
positioning the plurality of observation satellites in a dawn/dusk sun-synchronous orbital plane about a celestial body such that the one or more passive sensors are oriented toward the celestial body;
launching one or more servicing vehicles; and
directing the one or more servicing vehicles to deploy at least the solar array and the passive mechanical stabilization element of each of the plurality observation satellites.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein each said launching of the plurality of observation satellites and one or more service vehicles is performed simultaneously in a single launch vehicle.

10. The method of claim 8 further including the one or more servicing vehicles engaging any of the plurality of observation satellites upon a malfunction of a component of the observation satellite.

11. The method of claim 8 further including the one or more servicing vehicles repositioning any of the plurality of observation satellites when a change in position of one or more observation satellites in the orbital plane is detected or desired.

12. The method of claim 8 further including positioning the plurality of observation satellites such that the orbital plane completely surrounds the celestial body and wherein the plurality of observation satellites and observation sensors, when positioned in the orbital plane, are evenly spaced such that every point on the celestial body's surface is exposed to the observation sensors of the plurality of observation satellites as the celestial body rotates though the orbital plane.

13. The method of claim 8 further including directing the one or more servicing vehicles to engage the observation satellite to induce rotation of the observation satellite about an inertial axis of the observation satellite, the inertial axis comprising an intermediate or unstable axis of rotation to permit the solar array to scan space thereby capturing sunlight and generating electrical power.

14. A satellite constellation system, comprising:
a plurality of limited-function satellites comprising one or more passive sensors, each of the plurality of limited-function configured with at least an undeployed solar array and a passive mechanical stabilization element, each of the plurality of limited-function satellites constructed without attitude positioning components and propulsion hardware, the plurality of limited-function satellites positioned in a dawn/dusk sun-synchronous orbital plane about a celestial body such that the one or more passive sensors are oriented toward the celestial body; and
one or more servicing vehicles including at least one robotic arm and a processor, the at least one robotic arm configured to engage each of the plurality limited-function satellites, a processor, and a memory, the memory including instructions that cause the processor to direct the at least one robotic arm to deploy at least the solar array and the passive mechanical stabilization element of the limited-function satellite.

15. The satellite system of claim 14 wherein the one or more servicing vehicles is configured to engage the limited-function satellite to induce rotation of the limited-function satellites about an inertial axis of the limited-function satellite.

16. The satellite system of claim 14 wherein the one or more servicing vehicles is configured to reposition any one of the plurality of limited-function satellites when a change in position of one of the plurality of limited-function satellites in the orbital plane is detected.

17. The satellite system of claim 14 wherein each of the limited-function satellites is constructed without energy storage.

18. The satellite system of claim 14 wherein the celestial body is Earth, and wherein the plurality of limited-function satellites and sensors, when positioned in the orbital plane, are evenly spaced such that every point on Earth's surface is observed as Earth rotates though the orbital plane.

19. The satellite system of claim 14 wherein the sensors are optical sensors.

20. The satellite system of claim 14 where the limited-function satellites are placed in an inverted attitude mode by the servicing vehicles and later restored to nominal attitude mode to enhance survivability during a lunar eclipse or other event.

Assignees

• Maxar Space Llc

Inventors

• Turner Andrew E

Classifications

• B64G1/1021 Primary

  Earth observation satellites · CPC title

• B64G1/2427

  Transfer orbits · CPC title

• B64G1/6462

  characterised by the means for engaging other vehicles · CPC title

• B64G1/2429

  Station keeping · CPC title

• B64G1/2423

  Sun-synchronous orbits · CPC title