IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,829,249
Granted Patent B2
US 10,829,249 · App. 16/062,293 · Granted Nov 10, 2020

Satellite constellation forming method and forming device

Inventors: Junichi Amimoto (Tokyo, JP); Masanobu Fujimura (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: IHI AEROSPACE CO., LTD.
B64G1/242B64G1/007B64G1/1085
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,829,249
App. No.
16/062,293
Filed
Jun 14, 2018
Granted
Nov 10, 2020
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3644
USPC
244/158.5
Abstract

1. A satellite constellation forming method comprises a satellite deployment step S 2 , a spacecraft acceleration step S 4 , a spacecraft orbiting step S 5 and spacecraft deceleration step, and the aforementioned steps are repeated in order. In the satellite deployment step S 2 , deploying one of the satellites into the circular orbit 2 from the spacecraft 10 on the circular orbit 2 . In the spacecraft acceleration step S 4 , accelerating the spacecraft 10 and switching the orbit from the circular orbit 2 to a spacecraft transfer orbit 3 in the same orbit plane. In the spacecraft orbiting step S 5 , making the spacecraft 10 orbit along the spacecraft transfer orbit 3 a plurality of times. In the spacecraft deceleration step, decelerating the spacecraft 10 and switching the orbit from the spacecraft transfer orbit 3 to the circular orbit 2 in the same orbit plane.

Claims (15)

1. A satellite constellation forming method of injecting a spacecraft onto which a plurality of satellites are loaded into a circular orbit and forming a satellite constellation which is configured by the plurality of satellites on the circular orbit, having:

(A) a satellite deployment step of deploying one of the satellites into the circular orbit from the spacecraft on the circular orbit;

(B) a spacecraft acceleration step of accelerating the spacecraft and switching the orbit from the circular orbit to a spacecraft transfer orbit in the same orbit plane;

(C) a spacecraft orbiting step of making the spacecraft orbit along the spacecraft transfer orbit a plurality of times; and

(D) a spacecraft deceleration step of decelerating the spacecraft and switching the orbit from the spacecraft transfer orbit to the circular orbit in the same orbit plane, wherein

the aforementioned (A) to (D) are repeated in order.

2. The satellite constellation forming method according to claim 1 , wherein

in the aforementioned (C), the number of times that the spacecraft orbits is set in such a manner that a periodic difference between the preceding satellite and the following satellite reaches a set time.

3. The satellite constellation forming method according to claim 1 , wherein

an altitude of apogee of the spacecraft transfer orbit is set to 1.05 times to 1.6 times an altitude of the circular orbit.

4. A satellite constellation forming device which performs the satellite constellation forming method according to claim 1 comprising:

a spacecraft having

a satellite loading and deployment device which loads and deploys the plurality of satellites in order,

a spacecraft propulsion device which makes acceleration and deceleration possible on an orbit, and

a spacecraft control device which controls the satellite loading and deployment device and the spacecraft prolusion device.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 14, 2018
From: AMIMOTO, JUNICHI; FUJIMURA, MASANOBU
To: IHI AEROSPACE CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 046088/0320 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2015-248658 · Dec 21, 2015 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180370658A1 · Dec 27, 2018
Cited By (1)
US 12,195,208