The present invention relates to satellite systems and more particularly, to the provision of a satellite system and method for communications applications, with global coverage. An optimal method of providing global broadband connectivity has been discovered which uses two different LEO constellations with inter-satellite links among the satellites in each constellation, and inter-satellite links between the constellations. The first constellation is deployed in a polar LEO orbit with a preferred inclination of 99.5 degrees and a preferred altitude of 1000 km. The second constellation is deployed in an inclined LEO orbit with a preferred inclination of 37.4 degrees and a preferred altitude of 1250 km.

An aircraft with Internet based communication includes a plurality of communication radios and a processing circuit. The plurality of communication radios are configured to communicate with a ground message manager. The processing circuit is configured to receive a message from a system of the aircraft and encapsulate the received messages into a transport layer segment. The processing circuit is further configured to encapsulate the transport layer segment into an Internet layer packet and add a protocol identifier to the Internet layer packet, the protocol identifier indicating to the ground message manager that the Internet layer packet is an Internet based message. The processing circuit is configured to send the Internet layer packet to the ground message manager via the plurality of communication radios.

A triple use satellite system includes a VSAT population including a VSAT, and a satellite including a broadcast beam for a broadcast service and spot beams for a broadband service, where each of the spot beams provides broadband service to VSATs in separate coverage areas in a geographic region and the broadcast beam provides a broadcast service to the VSAT population in the geographic region.

A satellite communication system between a source and a destination over multiple satellite communications paths including first identifying the link performance established in multiple spectrums, performing a link comparison among the multiple spectrums (for example C-, Ku-, or Ka-Band) in order to determine a spectrum link that provides the highest throughput within an acceptable reliability criteria, and switching among the multiple spectrum links to provide that determined spectrum link between the source and the destination.

A satellite communication system includes a non-geostationary satellite configured to provide a first plurality of non-articulated spot beams that comprise a Field of Regard. The satellite further configured to provide a steerable spot beam that can be steered to establish communication with a gateway outside and in front of the Field of Regard and maintain communication while the satellite and the Field of Regard moves over and past the gateway including after the gateway is outside of and behind the Field of Regard.

Synchronization technology is implemented for a satellite communication system. Master clock information is accessed at a terrestrial location. A timing message based on the master clock information is transmitted from the terrestrial location to a satellite as the satellite is in orbit. The satellite is synchronized to the master clock based on the timing message. A beacon signal is transmitted from the satellite toward Earth. The beacon signal includes timing information. The beacon signal is received at a ground based gateway. The gateway is synchronized to the satellite based on the beacon signal. Communication is sent from the gateway to a terminal via the satellite. The communication includes timing data. The terminal is synchronized to the gateway based on the timing data.

Systems and methods provide load balancing on time division multiple access (TDMA) inroute channels of a satellite network. A bandwidth allocation manager or module can employ smart admission techniques to admit new terminals based upon the available bandwidth capacities of TDMA inroute channels including committed information rate (CIR) bandwidth requirements of already admitted terminals and current and CIR bandwidth requirements of the new terminals. Attempts are made to fully load a first TDMA inroute channel before providing admission to a second TDMA inroute channel. Additionally, an already admitted terminal requesting increased bandwidth or one or more other already admitted terminals may be reassigned to one or more alternative TDMA inroute channels to accommodate the requested increase in bandwidth.

A satellite antenna ground station service includes a plurality of ground stations and associated data centers, wherein the data centers are part of a provider network. Clients may reserve satellite antenna access time-slots via a user interface of the satellite antenna ground station service and store data directly to a data center of the provider network or to the client's premises via a direct connection between the client and the provider network. In some embodiments, the provider network may offer a plurality of network-based services, such as a compute service, a data storage service, a machine learning service, or a data analytics service, and a client may utilize one or more of these services to analyze and process downlinked data received from a satellite of the client via a satellite antenna ground station of the satellite antenna ground station service of the provider network.

A satellite communication system provides for handovers between satellites and multiple gateways. Terminals communicate with a first gateway via a first satellite as beams of the first satellite traverse the region. A second gateway is in communication with the first satellite and hands over to a second satellite. The first gateway is at a first location. The second gateway is at a second location separated from the first location in the orbital direction. Terminals handover to the second satellite as beams of the second satellite begin to traverse the region, and the terminals start connecting to and communicating with the second gateway via the second satellite. After all of the terminals of the plurality of terminals handover to the second satellite, the first gateway hands over to the second satellite and then the terminals in the region communicate with the first gateway via the second satellite.

Systems and associated methods for adaptive beam aggregation in wireless communications between unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and ground-based stations are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a method for transmitting wireless data between an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and a customer premise equipment (CPE) station includes transmitting a first wireless data between a first antenna array and a first CPE station and transmitting a second wireless data between a second antenna array and a second CPE station. The first and second antenna arrays can include one or more individual antennas of the UAV.