IP Library › Granted Patent US 12687635
Granted Patent B2
US 12687635 · App. 18/276,774 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

LEO satellite, LEO satellite system, and control method

Inventors: Koya Takata (Tokyo, JP); Masahiro Kaiden (Tokyo, JP); Kenji Wakafuji (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
G01S17/42
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12687635
App. No.
18/276,774
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

an LEO satellite includes a light projecting element that emits emission light to another LEO satellite, an optical telescope, an optical phased array, a light receiving element that receives incident light from the other LEO satellite, a distance measurement unit that measures a distance to the other LEO satellite based on at least one of the emission light and the incident light, and a control unit. The control unit captures the other LEO satellites by scanning emission light using the optical telescope and receives incident light from the other LEO satellites for the other LEO satellites on the same orbital plane, and captures the other LEO satellites by scanning emission light using the optical phased array and receives incident light from the other LEO satellites for the other LEO satellites on different orbital planes.

Claims (68)

1 . A low earth orbit (LEO) satellite that configures an LEO satellite constellation, the LEO satellite comprising:

a light projecting element configured to emit laser light as emission light to another LEO satellite configuring the LEO satellite constellation;

an optical telescope;

an optical phased array;

a light receiving element configured to receive laser light from the other LEO satellite as incident light;

at least one memory storing instructions; and

at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to

measure a distance from the LEO satellite to the other LEO satellite based on at least one of the emission light and the incident light, and

the light projecting element and the light receiving element, wherein

the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to

cause the light receiving element to receive the incident light from the other LEO satellite by capturing the other LEO satellite by scanning the emission light emitted from the light projecting element using the optical telescope for the other LEO satellite on the same orbital plane as the LEO satellite, and

cause the light receiving element to receive the incident light from the other LEO satellite by capturing the other LEO satellite by scanning the emission light emitted from the light projecting element using the optical phased array for the other LEO satellite on an orbital plane different from the LEO satellite.

2 . The LEO satellite according to claim 1 , further comprising: an atomic clock, wherein

the incident light is laser light that is the emission light reflected by the other LEO satellite, and

the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to measure a distance from the LEO satellite to the other LEO satellite based on a time from emission of the emission light to reception of the incident light by a pulse propagation method.

3 . The LEO satellite according to claim 1 , wherein

the incident light is laser light that is the emission light reflected by the other LEO satellite, and

the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to measure a distance from the LEO satellite to the other LEO satellite based on a phase difference between the emission light and the incident light by a phase difference distance method.

4 . The LEO satellite according to claim 1 , wherein

the incident light is laser light that is the emission light reflected by the other LEO satellite, and

the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to measure a distance from the LEO satellite to the other LEO satellite based on a position on the light receiving element at which the incident light is received by a triangular distance measurement method.

5 . The LEO satellite according to claim 1 , further comprising an atomic clock, wherein

the incident light is laser light emitted from the other LEO satellite and including emission time information, and

the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to measure a distance from the LEO satellite to the other LEO satellite based on a time from when the incident light is emitted from the other LEO satellite to when the incident light is received.

6 . The LEO satellite according to claim 1 , wherein in a case of capturing the other LEO satellite using the optical phased array, the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to capture the other LEO satellite on an orbital plane at an altitude different from that of the LEO satellite in an orbit at an altitude of 300 km to 2000 km.

7 . The LEO satellite according to claim 1 , wherein in a case of capturing the other LEO satellite using the optical phased array, the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to capture the other LEO satellite near an intersection of an orbital plane.

8 . The LEO satellite according to claim 1 , wherein the optical phased array is realized by using an electro-optic polymer.

9 . The LEO satellite according to claim 1 , wherein the optical phased array is realized by using an optical waveguide based on a silicon microfabrication technology.

10 . The LEO satellite according to claim 1 , further comprising an encoder configured to detect an angle of the emission light,

wherein an altitude of the LEO satellite is measured based on the angle of the emission light.

11 . A low earth orbit (LEO) satellite system comprising

a plurality of LEO satellites that configures an LEO satellite constellation, wherein

each of the plurality of the LEO satellites includes:

a light projecting element configured to emit laser light as emission light to another LEO satellite configuring the LEO satellite constellation;

an optical telescope;

an optical phased array;

a light receiving element configured to receive laser light from the other LEO satellite as incident light;

at least one memory storing instructions; and

at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to

measure a distance from the LEO satellite to the other LEO satellite based on at least one of the emission light and the incident light, and

control the light projecting element and the light receiving element, wherein

the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to

cause the light receiving element to receive the incident light from the other LEO satellite by capturing the other LEO satellite by scanning the emission light emitted from the light projecting element using the optical telescope for the other LEO satellite on the same orbital plane as the LEO satellite, and

cause the light receiving element to receive the incident light from the other LEO satellite by capturing the other LEO satellite by scanning the emission light emitted from the light projecting element using the optical phased array for the other LEO satellite on an orbital plane different from the LEO satellite.

12 . The LEO satellite system according to claim 11 , further comprising an atomic clock, wherein

the incident light is laser light that is the emission light reflected by the other LEO satellite, and

the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to measure a distance from the LEO satellite to the other LEO satellite based on a time from emission of the emission light to reception of the incident light by a pulse propagation method.

13 . The LEO satellite system according to claim 11 , wherein

the incident light is laser light that is the emission light reflected by the other LEO satellite, and

the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to measure a distance from the LEO satellite to the other LEO satellite based on a phase difference between the emission light and the incident light by a phase difference distance method.

14 . The LEO satellite system according to claim 11 , wherein

the incident light is laser light that is the emission light reflected by the other LEO satellite, and

the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to measure a distance from the LEO satellite to the other LEO satellite based on a position on the light receiving element at which the incident light is received by a triangular distance measurement method.

15 . The LEO satellite system according to claim 11 , further comprising an atomic clock, wherein

the incident light is laser light emitted from the other LEO satellite and including emission time information, and

the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to measure a distance from the LEO satellite to the other LEO satellite based on a time from when the incident light is emitted from the other LEO satellite to when the incident light is received.

16 . The LEO satellite system according to claim 11 , wherein in a case of capturing the other LEO satellite using the optical phased array, the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to capture the other LEO satellite on an orbital plane at an altitude different from that of the LEO satellite in an orbit at an altitude of 300 km to 2000 km.

17 . The LEO satellite system according to claim 11 , wherein in a case of capturing the other LEO satellite using the optical phased array, the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to capture the other LEO satellite near an intersection of an orbital plane.

18 . The LEO satellite system according to claim 11 , wherein the optical phased array is realized by using an electro-optic polymer.

19 . The LEO satellite system according to claim 11 , wherein the optical phased array is realized by using an optical waveguide based on a silicon microfabrication technology.

20 . A method of controlling a low earth orbit (LEO) satellite that configures an LEO satellite constellation, the method comprising:

a step of emitting laser light as emission light to another LEO satellite configuring the LEO satellite constellation by a light projecting element;

a step of receiving laser light from the other LEO satellite as incident light by a light receiving element;

a step of measuring a distance from the LEO satellite to the other LEO satellite based on at least one of the emission light and the incident light; and

a control step of controlling the light projecting element and the light receiving element, wherein

in the control step,

the light receiving element is caused to receive the incident light from the other LEO satellite by capturing the other LEO satellite by scanning the emission light emitted from the light projecting element using the optical telescope for the other LEO satellite on the same orbital plane as the LEO satellite, and

the light receiving element is caused to receive the incident light from the other LEO satellite by capturing the other LEO satellite by scanning the emission light emitted from the light projecting element using the optical phased array for the other LEO satellite on an orbital plane different from the LEO satellite.