Ring Constellations for Decreased Data Latency and Increased Download Rates

Issue
 Date
Publication Date
Patent No.
9,998,206
Category
Device and Method

A plurality of spacecraft may be dispersed into a ring constellation or structure. Data may be wirelessly relayed between spacecraft similar to data flowing in a ring network. The ring structure minimizes inter-spacecraft velocities and tracking angle motion to allow use of fixed high-gain radio frequency (RF) antennas or medium-divergence lasers for crosslinks. Data may flow between spacecraft to be downloaded by the next spacecraft that will be passing over a ground station. This reduces data latency when a single ground station is used, and significantly reduces data latency when more than one ground station is used.

Keywords: laser communication, communication, data latency, data download rate
International Class: H04B7/185