Low earth orbiting spacecraft with a dual-use directional antenna
A low earth orbiting spacecraft (LEO spacecraft) operable in a first earth orbit includes a main body, a data collection payload, and a first directional antenna, each of the data collection payload and the first directional antenna being coupled with the main body. During a first period of time, the main body is oriented such that the data collection payload views a region of interest on the earth. During a second period of time, the main body and the first directional antenna are oriented such that the first directional antenna is directed toward a first ground station. During a third period of time, the main body and the first directional antenna are oriented such that the first directional antenna is directed toward a second spacecraft operating in a second orbit.
1. A low earth orbiting spacecraft (LEO spacecraft) operable in a first earth orbit, the LEO spacecraft comprising:
a main body, a data collection payload, and a first directional antenna, each of the data collection payload and the first directional antenna being coupled with the main body, wherein:
during a first period of time, the main body is oriented such that the data collection payload views a region of interest on the earth;
during a second period of time, the main body and the first directional antenna are oriented such that the first directional antenna is directed toward a first ground station;
during a third period of time, the main body and the first directional antenna are oriented such that the first directional antenna is directed toward a second spacecraft operating in a second orbit; and
an orientation of the first directional antenna with respect to the main body is controlled by a gimbal rotatable about an X axis and a Y axis and the main body is oriented to avoid co-linearity between a direction toward the second spacecraft and each of the X axis and the Y axis.
2. The LEO spacecraft of claim 1 , wherein the first directional antenna is configured to establish a downlink with the first ground station during at least a portion of the second period of time and is configured to establish a crosslink with the second spacecraft during at least a portion of the third period of time.
3. The LEO spacecraft of claim 2 , wherein the LEO spacecraft is configured to transmit data collected by the data collection payload by way of the crosslink to the second spacecraft.
4. The LEO spacecraft of claim 2 , wherein data collected by the data collection payload is forwarded to a second ground station by way of the crosslink to the second spacecraft and a downlink from the second spacecraft to the second ground station.
5. The LEO spacecraft of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the second period of time overlaps with at least a portion of the first period of time.
6. The LEO spacecraft of claim 1 , wherein the third period of time overlaps no portion of the first period of time and no portion of the second period of time.
7. The LEO spacecraft of claim 1 , wherein the first directional antenna is a steerable dish antenna.
8. The LEO spacecraft of claim 1 , wherein the second orbit is substantially higher than the first earth orbit.
9. The LEO spacecraft of claim 1 , wherein the second orbit is a geosynchronous orbit.
10. A method, comprising:
collecting, during a first period of time, observational data from a region of interest on earth, using a data collection payload disposed on a low earth orbiting spacecraft (LEO spacecraft) operating in a first earth orbit, the LEO spacecraft including a main body, the data collection payload, and a first directional antenna, each of the data collection payload and the first directional antenna being coupled with the main body;
orienting, during a second period of time, one or both of the main body and the first directional antenna such that the first directional antenna is directed toward a first ground station; and
orienting, during a third period of time, one or both of the main body and the first directional antenna such that the first directional antenna is directed toward a second spacecraft operating in a second orbit; wherein:
an orientation of the first directional antenna with respect to the main body is controlled by a gimbal rotatable about an X axis and a Y axis and the main body is oriented to avoid co-linearity between a direction toward the second spacecraft and each of the X axis and the Y axis.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
establishing, with the first directional antenna, a downlink with the first ground station during at least a portion of the second period of time; and
establishing, with the first directional antenna, a crosslink with the second spacecraft during at least a portion of the third period of time.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising transmitting data collected by the data collection payload by way of the crosslink to the second spacecraft.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein data collected by the data collection payload is forwarded to a second ground station by way of the crosslink to the second spacecraft and a downlink from the second spacecraft to the second ground station.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of the second period of time overlaps with at least a portion of the first period of time.
15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the third period of time overlaps no portion of the first period of time and no portion of the second period of time.
16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first directional antenna is a steerable dish antenna.
17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second orbit is substantially higher than the first earth orbit.
18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second orbit is a geosynchronous orbit.