Earth observation satellite information routing system

Abstract

The focus of the present disclosure relates to a constellation of earth-observation satellites communicating with terrestrial access points through an intermediate satellite constellation of networked relay satellites. The network system includes one or more terrestrial access points, one or more earth observation satellites, and a satellite constellation including a plurality of communicatively coupled relay satellites. The earth observation satellites establish links with the relay satellites, which relay the communications from the earth observation satellites to the terrestrial access points. The earth observation satellite can transfer recorded information to one or more of the plurality of relay satellites. The communication from the earth observation satellite may be routed through multiple relay satellite in the network system to reach the terrestrial access point. Rather than transferring information from an earth observation satellite only when the earth observation satellite passes over the terrestrial access point, the network disclosed enables earth observation satellites to transfer information through the intermediate satellite constellation quickly and securely from nearly anywhere along its orbit around the Earth. Because the Earth observation satellite can route recorded information through the plurality of satellites in the intermediate satellite constellation to a terrestrial access point, instead of only when the earth observation satellite travels within range of a single terrestrial access point, the disclosed network system significantly extends the data transfer window while reducing monitoring delays.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An Earth Observation Satellite Information Routing System for relaying recordings from an Earth observation satellite to a terrestrial ground station comprising:
 a plurality of communicatively linked network satellites occupying one or more orbital planes forming at least one continuous communication loop about the Earth,   wherein a first recording received by a first communicatively linked network satellite (from the plurality of communicatively linked network satellites) from a first Earth observation satellite is transmitted to a second communicatively linked network satellite (from the plurality of communicatively linked network satellites), wherein the second communicatively linked network satellite transmits the first content to a first geostationary communications satellite to be further transmitted to a terrestrial ground station.   
     
     
         2 . The Earth Observation Satellite Information Routing System of  claim 1 , wherein the Earth observation satellite occupies a different orbital plane from the plurality of network satellites. 
     
     
         3 . The Earth Observation Satellite Information Routing System of  claim 2 , wherein the orbital path of the network satellites does not orbit North of the Tropic of Cancer or South of the Tropic of Capricorn. 
     
     
         4 . The Earth Observation Satellite Information Routing System of  claim 3 , wherein the orbital path of the Earth observation satellite orbits above both the Arctic Circle and the Antarctic Circle with each orbit. 
     
     
         5 . The Earth Observation Satellite Information Routing System of  claim 2 , wherein the network satellites orbit along an equatorial orbital path. 
     
     
         6 . The Earth Observation Satellite Information Routing System of  claim 5 , wherein the Earth observation satellite orbit along a Polar orbital path. 
     
     
         7 . The Earth Observation Satellite Information Routing System of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of network satellites are configured to occupy a low earth orbit above the earth's surface. 
     
     
         8 . The Earth Observation Satellite Information Routing System of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of network satellites are configured to orbit approximately 700-900 kilometers above the earth's surface. 
     
     
         9 . The Earth Observation Satellite Information Routing System of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of network satellites are communicatively coupled to each other through a continuous loop of relays between consecutive network satellites. 
     
     
         10 . The Earth Observation Satellite Information Routing System of  claim 9 , wherein the communicative link between the Earth observation satellite and the first network satellite comprises a laser communication link. 
     
     
         11 . The Earth Observation Satellite Information Routing System of  claim 10 , wherein the communicative link between the first network satellite and the second network satellite comprises a laser communication link. 
     
     
         12 . The Earth Observation Satellite Information Routing System of  claim 1 , wherein the connection from the terrestrial ground station through the plurality of communicatively linked network satellites to the Earth observation satellite enables the ground station to maintain and monitor a live stream of the recording captured by the Earth observation satellite for at least 50% of the Earth observation satellite's orbit. 
     
     
         13 . The Earth Observation Satellite Information Routing System of  claim 1 , wherein the connection from the terrestrial ground station through the plurality of communicatively linked network satellites to the Earth observation satellite enables the ground station to maintain and monitor a live stream of the recording captured by the Earth observation satellite for at least 80% of the Earth observation satellite's orbit. 
     
     
         14 . The Earth Observation Satellite Information Routing System of  claim 1 , wherein the terrestrial ground station can maintain a connection to a plurality of Earth observation satellites simultaneously through the plurality of communicatively linked network satellites. 
     
     
         15 . The Earth Observation Satellite Information Routing System of  claim 1 , further comprising ground-based network management (i.e. network management involving software uploads, updating, repairs, analysis, optimization, access and monitoring of all wirelessly interconnected satellite(s) in network) (hereinafter the “Network Management”) through any single wirelessly interconnected satellite to cause all of the satellite(s) to become sequentially and continuously available to wirelessly interconnect with the ground-based communications station equipment for the purposes of Network Management and for Telemetry, Tracking and Control (TT&C) of satellite(s) in network. 
     
     
         16 . An Earth Observation Satellite Information Routing System comprising at least one Earth observation satellite recording Earth observation information and communicating indirectly to access terminals on the surface of the Earth through an intermediate satellite cloud network comprising a plurality of communicatively linked network satellites. 
     
     
         17 . The Earth Observation Satellite Information Routing System of  claim 16 , wherein the connection from the access terminals through the plurality of communicatively linked network satellites to the Earth observation satellite enables the ground station to maintain and monitor a live stream of the recording captured by the Earth observation satellite for at least 50% of the Earth observation satellite's orbit. 
     
     
         18 . The Earth Observation Satellite Information Routing System of  claim 17 , wherein the Earth observation satellite occupies a different orbital plane from the plurality of network satellites. 
     
     
         19 . The Earth Observation Satellite Information Routing System of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of network satellites are configured to occupy a low-earth orbit approximately 700-900 kilometers above the earth's surface. 
     
     
         20 . The Earth Observation Satellite Information Routing System of  claim 1 , wherein the access terminals can maintain a connection to a plurality of Earth observation satellites simultaneously through the plurality of communicatively linked network satellites.