Satellite system using optical gateways and ground based beamforming

1. A ground based subsystem for use in transmitting an optical feeder uplink beam to a satellite that includes a multiple element antenna feed array and that is configured to receive the optical feeder uplink beam and in dependence thereon use the multiple element antenna feed array to produce and transmit a plurality of RF service downlink beams to service terminals, the ground based subsystem comprising:

a ground based beamformer (GBBF) configured to accept a plurality of spot beam signals, produce or otherwise obtain phase and amplitude beamforming coefficients, and output a plurality of feed element signals in dependence on the plurality of spot beam signals and the phase and amplitude beamforming coefficients;

a plurality of lasers, each of the lasers operable to emit an optical signal having a different peak wavelength within a specified optical wavelength range;

a plurality of electro-optical modulators (EOMs), each EOM of the plurality of EOMs configured to accept an optical carrier signal from a respective one of the plurality of lasers, accept a different one of the plurality of feed element signals from the GBBF, and output a respective optical feed element signal in dependence on the optical carrier signal and the feed element signal accepted by the EOM;

a wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) multiplexer configured to accept the optical feed element signals output by the plurality of EOMs, and combine the plurality of optical feed element signals into a wavelength division multiplexed optical signal;

an optical amplifier configured to amplify the wavelength division multiplexed optical signal to thereby produce an optically amplified wavelength division multiplexed optical signal; and

transmitter optics configured to accept the optically amplified wavelength division multiplexed optical signal and transmit an optical feeder uplink beam to the satellite in dependence thereon.

2. The subsystem of claim 1 , further comprising:

a user data to spot beam controller configured to accept a set of user data signals and combine subsets of the user data signals into the spot beam signals that are provided to the GBBF.

3. The subsystem of claim 1 , wherein the GBBF is further configured to:

produce multiple copies of each of the spot beam signals accepted by the GBBF;

use the phase and amplitude coefficients to weight different copies of the spot beam signals in different manners; and

sum subsets of the weighted copies of the spot beam signals to thereby produce the feed element signals, which may be frequency up-converted and filtered prior to being accepted by the EOMs.

4. The subsystem of claim 1 , further comprising:

a plurality of frequency up-converters each of which is configured to frequency-up convert one of the feed element signals output by the GBBF before the feed element signal is provided to one of the EOMs; and

a plurality of filters each of which is configured to filter one of the feed element signals after the feed element signal has been frequency up-converted, but prior to the feed element signal being provided to one of the EOMs.

5. The subsystem of claim 4 , wherein the frequency up-converters are configured to cause the optical feed element signals output by the plurality of EOMs to each have an RF frequency within a same specified RF frequency range within which the satellite is configured to transmit the plurality of RF service downlink beams.

6. The subsystem of claim 1 , wherein:

the optical feed element signals output by the plurality of EOMs each have an RF frequency within a same specified RF frequency range within which the satellite is configured to transmit the plurality of RF service downlink beams; and

because RF frequencies of the optical feed element signals output by the plurality of EOMs are within the same specified RF frequency range within which the satellite is configured to transmit the plurality of RF service downlink beams, there is an elimination of any need for the satellite to perform any frequency conversions when producing the plurality of RF service downlink beams in dependence on the optical feeder uplink beam.

7. The subsystem of claim 1 , wherein a specified RF frequency range within which the satellite is configured to produce and transmit the plurality of RF service downlink beams comprises a downlink portion of the Ka band.

8. The subsystem of claim 7 , wherein:

the downlink portion of the Ka band is from 17.7 GHz to 20.2 GHz, and thus, has a bandwidth of 2.5 GHz; or

the downlink portion of the Ka band is from 17.3 GHz to 20.2 GHz, and thus, has a bandwidth of 2.9 GHz.

9. The subsystem of claim 1 , wherein an optical wavelength range of the optical feeder uplink beam is a contiguous or non-contiguous optical wavelength range within an infrared (IR) spectrum.

10. The subsystem of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the feed elements signals accepted by at least one of the EOMs is frequency up-converted and filtered prior to being accepted by the at least one of the EOMs.

11. A method for enabling a ground based subsystem to produce and transmit an optical feeder uplink beam to a satellite that includes a multiple element antenna feed array and that is configured to receive the optical feeder uplink beam and in dependence thereon use the multiple element antenna feed array to produce and transmit a plurality of RF service downlink beams to service terminals, the method for use by the ground based subsystem comprising:

performing ground based beamforming by accepting a plurality of spot beam signals, producing or otherwise obtaining phase and amplitude beamforming coefficients, and producing a plurality of feed element signals in dependence on the plurality of spot beam signals and the phase and amplitude beamforming coefficients;

emitting a plurality of optical carrier signals each having a different peak wavelength that is within a specified optical wavelength range;

electro-optically modulating each of the optical carrier signals with one of feed element signals produced by the ground based beamforming to thereby produce a plurality of optical feed element signals;

multiplexing the plurality of optical feed element signals to thereby produce a wavelength division multiplexed optical signal that includes data for the plurality of RF service downlink beams;

producing an optical feeder uplink beam, in dependence on the wavelength division multiplexed optical signal; and

transmitting the optical feeder uplink beam through free-space to the satellite.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

accepting a set of user data signals; and

combining subsets of the user data signals into the spot beam signals that are used for the ground based beamforming.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the ground based beamforming further comprises:

producing multiple copies of each of the spot beam signals;

using the phase and amplitude coefficients to weight different copies of the spot beam signals in different manners; and

summing subsets of the weighted copies of the spot beam signals to thereby produced the feed element signals, which may be frequency up-converted and filtered prior to the electro-optically modulating.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

frequency-up converting and filtering the feed element signals produced by the ground based beamforming prior to the electro-optically modulating.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the frequency up-converting causes the optical feed element signals resulting from the electro-optically modulating to each have an RF frequency within a same specified RF frequency range within which the satellite is configured to transmit the plurality of RF service downlink beams.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein:

the optical feed element signals resulting from the electro-optically modulating each have an RF frequency within a same specified RF frequency range within which the satellite is configured to transmit the plurality of RF service downlink beams; and

because RF frequencies of the optical feed element resulting from the electro-optically modulating are within the same specified RF frequency range within which the satellite is configured to transmit the plurality of RF service downlink beams, there is an elimination of any need for the satellite to perform any frequency conversions when producing the plurality of RF service downlink beams in dependence on the optical feeder uplink beam.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the feed elements signals that is used in the electro-optically modulating is frequency up-converted and filtered prior to the electro-optically modulating.

18. A ground based subsystem for use in transmitting an optical feeder uplink beam to a satellite that includes a multiple element antenna feed array and that is configured to receive the optical feeder uplink beam and in dependence thereon use the multiple element antenna feed array to produce and transmit a plurality of RF service downlink beams to service terminals, the ground based subsystem comprising:

a ground based beamformer (GBBF) including a GBBF controller, a signal replication and forward beamforming weighting unit that is controlled by the GBBF controller, and a plurality of summers;

the GBBF controller configured to produce phase and amplitude beamforming coefficients in dependence on calibration information accepted from a calibration subsystem;

the signal replication and forward beamforming weighting unit configured to replicate each of a plurality of spot beam signals, weight each of the replicated spot beam signals in dependence on phase and amplitude beamforming coefficients produced by the GBBF controller, and output a set of phase and amplitude weighted signals;

the plurality of summers configured to sum respective subsets of the phase and amplitude weighted signals to thereby produce a plurality of feed element signals;

a plurality of lasers, each of the lasers operable to emit an optical signal having a different peak wavelength within a specified optical wavelength range;

a plurality of electro-optical modulators (EOMs), each EOM of the plurality of EOMs configured to accept an optical carrier signal from a respective one of the plurality of lasers, accept a different one of the plurality of feed element signals from the GBBF, and output a respective optical feed element signal in dependence on the optical carrier signal and the feed element signal accepted by the EOM;

a wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) multiplexer configured to accept the optical feed element signals output by the plurality of EOMs, and combine the plurality of optical feed element signals into a wavelength division multiplexed optical signal;

an optical amplifier configured to amplify the wavelength division multiplexed optical signal to thereby produce an optically amplified wavelength division multiplexed optical signal; and

transmitter optics configured to accept the optically amplified wavelength division multiplexed optical signal and transmit an optical feeder uplink beam to the satellite in dependence thereon.

19. The subsystem of claim 18 , further comprising:

a user data to spot beam controller configured to accept a set of user data signals and combine subsets of the user data signals into the spot beam signals that are provided to the GBBF.

20. The subsystem of claim 18 , further comprising:

a plurality of frequency up-converters each of which is configured to frequency-up convert one of the feed element signals output by the GBBF before the feed element signal is provided to one of the EOMs; and

a plurality of filters each of which is configured to filter one of the feed element signals after the feed element signal has been frequency up-converted, but prior to the feed element signal being provided to one of the EOMs;

wherein the frequency up-converters are configured to cause the optical feed element signals output by the plurality of EOMs to each have an RF frequency within a same specified RF frequency range within which the satellite is configured to transmit the plurality of RF service downlink beams.

21. The subsystem of claim 18 , wherein a specified RF frequency range within which the satellite is configured to produce and transmit the plurality of RF service downlink beams comprises a downlink portion of the Ka band.

22. The subsystem of claim 18 , wherein an optical wavelength range of the optical feeder uplink beam is a contiguous or non-contiguous optical wavelength range within an infrared (IR) spectrum.

23. The subsystem of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the feed elements signals accepted by at least one of the EOMs is frequency up-converted and filtered prior to being accepted by the at least one of the EOMs.