Method and apparatus for a triple use satellite system

1. A triple use satellite apparatus comprising:

a satellite comprising at least one spot beam for a broadband service and at least one broadcast beam for a broadcast service, the satellite configured to provide service to a VSAT population comprising at least two VSATs,

wherein each of the at least one spot beams provides broadband service to VSATs in separate coverage areas in a geographic region,

wherein the at least one broadcast beam provides a broadcast service to the VSAT population in the geographic region, and

wherein half of the VSATs in the VSAT population receive a lower portion of a frequency band and the other half of the VSATs in the VSAT population receive an upper portion of the frequency band.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the satellite further comprises a shaped reflector for the broadcast beam, wherein the reflector is shaped to direct the broadcast beam over a geographic region.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the at least one spot beam uses the shaped reflector.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the satellite further comprises a reflector for the at least one spot beam that is separate from the shaped reflector.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the broadcast beam carries a broadcast downlink.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the satellite further comprises receiving equipment for receiving a return uplink from a VSAT, wherein the return uplink comprises data for interacting with the broadcast service.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one spot beam for a broadband service and the at least one broadcast beam for a broadcast service use disjoint frequency bands.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one spot beam for a broadband service and the at least one broadcast beam for a broadcast service are separated on a continuous frequency band.

9. A triple use satellite system comprising:

a VSAT population comprising at least two VSATs; and

at least one satellite comprising at least one broadcast beam for a broadcast service and at least one spot beam for a broadband service,

wherein each of the at least one spot beams provides broadband service to VSATs in separate coverage areas in a geographic region,

wherein the at least one broadcast beam provides a broadcast service to the VSAT population in the geographic region, and

wherein half of the VSATs in the VSAT population receive a lower portion of a frequency band and the other half of the VSATs in the VSAT population receive an upper portion of the frequency band.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the lower portion and upper portion of the frequency band overlap in a middle portion, and

wherein the broadcast service uses the middle portion of the frequency band for the broadcast beam.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the VSAT population uses a return uplink for the broadband service to interact with the broadcast service.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the geographic region is divided into at least two broadcast coverage areas, and wherein broadcast service is provided to each broadcast coverage area by a separate broadcast beam.

13. A method for providing a triple use satellite system comprising:

providing a broadcast beam for a broadcast service to a broadcast coverage area, which includes a VSAT population comprising at least one two VSATs, from a satellite;

providing a plurality of spot beams for a broadband service to a plurality of coverage areas within the broadcast coverage area from a satellite; and

receiving at the satellite a return uplink comprising data for interacting with the broadcast service,

wherein half of the VSATs in the VSAT population receive a lower portion of a frequency band and the other half of the VSATs in the VSAT population receive an upper portion of the frequency band.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

configuring a VSAT in the broadcast coverage area to receive the broadcast beam.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

configuring a hub to process the data for interacting with the broadcast service.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

providing a second broadcast beam for a second broadcast coverage area, wherein the broadcast coverage area and second broadcast coverage area overlap minimally and cover the plurality of coverage areas.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the broadcast beam and the spot beams use disjoint frequency bands.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the broadcast beam and the spot beams are separated on a continuous frequency band.

19. A triple use satellite system comprising:

a VSAT population comprising at least two VSATs;

at least one satellite comprising at least one broadcast beam for a broadcast service and at least one spot beam for a broadband service,

wherein each of the at least one spot beams provides broadband service to VSATs in separate coverage areas in a geographic region,

wherein the at least one broadcast beam provides a broadcast service to the VSAT population in the geographic region,

wherein the lower portion and upper portion of the frequency band overlap in a middle portion, and

wherein the broadcast service uses the middle portion of the frequency band for the broadcast beam.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the VSAT population uses a return uplink for the broadband service to interact with the broadcast service.

21. The system of claim 19 , wherein the geographic region is divided into at least two broadcast coverage areas, and

wherein broadcast service is provided to each broadcast coverage area by a separate broadcast beam.