SYSTEM WITH SATELLITES ON EQUATORIAL AND INCLINED ORBITS RELAYING INFORMATION THROUGH INTERSATELLITES LINK AND EARTH RELAYS

摘要

A satellite system is disclosed. One embodiment of the invention utilizes both a single equatorial orbit plane (14) in combination with other satellites (12) moving in polar or inclined orbits (60, 63, 210). Although the preferred embodiments utilize a specific range of low Earth orbit altitudes, the satellites (12) are designed to fly in any orbit that is not a geosynchronous orbit. The satellites (12) are also capable of speeding packetized messages (225) around the globe either by working in combination with relay stations (34, 61, 65) on the ground, by transferring message payloads (225) across different orbits via the relay stations (34, 61, 65) or by conveying packetized payloads (225) through the use of inter-satellite links (55). The present invention will provide a wide range of non-voice, non-geostationary mobile satellite services to millions of subscribers around the globe.