Airborne satellite connectivity system
An aircraft satellite communications system that communicates using satellite frequency bands. The aircraft satellite communications system comprises a base structure, transmitters, and receivers. The base structure has connectors arranged to correspond to connection points on an aircraft. The transmitters are connected to the base structure. The transmitters are configured to transmit using a first plurality of the satellite frequency bands. The receivers are connected to the base structure. The receivers are configured to receive using a second plurality of the satellite frequency bands. A selected transmitter in the transmitters transmits using a satellite frequency band in the satellite frequency bands is positioned at a distance from a selected receiver in the receivers using the satellite frequency band in the satellite frequency bands on the base structure with a number of other transmitters and receivers located between the selected transmitter and the selected receiver on the base structure.
1 . An aircraft satellite communications system that communicates on satellite frequency bands, wherein the aircraft satellite communications system comprises:
a base structure that comprises connectors arranged to correspond to connection points on an aircraft;
transmitters connected to the base structure, wherein the transmitters are configured to transmit using a first plurality of the satellite frequency bands, wherein the transmitters comprise a Ka-band transmitter configured to transmit on a Ka band;
receivers connected to the base structure, wherein the receivers are configured to receive on a second plurality of the satellite frequency bands and comprise a K-band receiver configured to receive on the K band; wherein a Ku-band transmitter in the transmitters configured to transmit on a satellite frequency band in the satellite frequency bands is positioned on an opposite end of the base structure from a Ku-band receiver in the receivers with a number of other transmitters and receivers comprising the Ka-band transmitter and the K-band receiver located between the Ku-band transmitter and the Ku-band receiver on the base structure.
2 . The aircraft satellite communications system of claim 1 further comprising:
a radome covering the transmitters and the receivers connected to the base structure.
3 . The aircraft satellite communications system of claim 2 , wherein the base structure, the transmitters, the receivers, and the radome meet an ARINC 792 standard.
4 . The aircraft satellite communications system of claim 1 , wherein the Ku-band transmitter is located on the end of the base structure nearest to the front of the aircraft.
5 . The aircraft satellite communications system of claim 1 , wherein the transmitters and the receivers are positioned such that interference between the transmitters and the receivers is reduced.
6 . The aircraft satellite communications system of claim 1 , wherein the base structure is connected to a top surface of an aircraft.
7 . The aircraft satellite communications system of claim 6 , wherein the base structure comprises two transmitters.
8 . The aircraft satellite communications system of claim 1 , wherein the the Ka-band transmitter and the K-band receiver are located on opposite sides of the base structure.
9 . The aircraft satellite communications system of claim 1 further comprising:
a controller configured to:
subdivide transmit elements in a transmitter in the transmitters into multiple apertures; and
transmit information from the transmitter in a number of beams using a number of the multiple apertures.
10 . The aircraft satellite communications system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to:
select an aperture size for an aperture that enables using amplifiers for the transmit elements in the aperture at a power level that saturates the amplifiers for the transmit elements in the aperture in emitting a beam in the number of beams at a satellite with a desired level of power for a satellite type for the satellite.
11 . The aircraft satellite communications system of claim 1 further comprising:
a controller configured to:
subdivide receive elements in a receiver in the receivers into multiple apertures; and
receive information from a number of beams using a number of the multiple apertures.
12 . The aircraft satellite communications system of claim 1 , wherein a receiver in the receivers simultaneously receives multiple beams.
13 . The aircraft satellite communications system of claim 1 , wherein the transmitters and receivers are formed from phased array antennas.
14 . The aircraft satellite communications system of claim 1 , wherein the satellite frequency bands used by the aircraft satellite communications system form a wideband.
15 . The aircraft satellite communications system of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft is selected from a group comprising a commercial airplane, a cargo airplane, a tilt-rotor aircraft, a tilt wing aircraft, a military air vehicle, a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, an unmanned aerial vehicle, a drone, an electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle, and a personal air vehicle.
16 . An aircraft satellite communications system that comprises:
a base structure that comprises connectors arranged to correspond to connection points on an aircraft;
a Ku-band transmitter connected to an end of the base structure, wherein the Ku-band transmitter transmits using a Ku satellite band;
a Ka-band transmitter connected in a center area of the base structure, wherein the Ka-band transmitter transmits using a Ka satellite band;
a Ku-band receiver connected to an opposite end of the base structure, wherein the Ku-band receiver receives using the Ku satellite band; and
a K-band receiver connected in a center area of the base structure, wherein the K-band receiver receives using a K satellite band.
17 . The aircraft satellite communications system of claim 16 , wherein the base structure having connectors arranged to correspond to connection points on an aircraft is such that recertification is unnecessary.
18 . The aircraft satellite communications system of claim 16 , wherein the base structure, the Ku-band transmitter, the Ka-band transmitter, the Ku-band receiver, and the K-band receiver meet ARINC 792 standard.
19 . The aircraft satellite communications system of claim 16 , wherein the base structure is connected to the Ku transmitter, the Ka-band transmitter, the Ku-band receiver, and the K receiver, and wherein the Ku-band transmitter, the Ka-band transmitter, the Ku-band receiver, and the K-band receiver fit within an existing radome of the aircraft when the connectors for the base structure are connected to the connection points on the aircraft.
20 . The aircraft satellite communications system of claim 16 further comprising:
a thermal management system.
21 . The aircraft satellite communications system of claim 16 further comprising:
a controller in communication with the Ku transmitter, the Ka-band transmitter, the Ku-band receiver, and the K-band receiver, wherein the controller is configured to:
control the Ku-band transmitter and the Ka-band transmitter to emit first radio frequency beams; and
control the Ku-band receiver and the K-band receiver to receive second radio frequency beams.