The terrestrial-based satellite telephone monitoring system may be used for, among other things, intelligence gathering purposes that intercept communications to or from target satellite handsets or terminals. The exemplary signal processing units receive wireless signals and extend the line-of-sight range of a terrestrial-based satellite telephone monitoring system. The exemplary signal processing unit may be installed in or on an aerial vehicle, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), or a satellite, such as a CubeSat, or other vehicle.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer-readable media, for location management for satellite systems. In some implementations, a controller of a satellite network system receives location data from a user terminal and registers the user terminal in a mobility area with a core network. The controller updates a mapping between satellite beams and mobility areas as the satellite beams move along the ground with respect to the mobility areas, then uses the updated mapping to communicate with the user terminal using an appropriate satellite beam. In some implementations, a controller of a satellite network system determines a mapping of satellite beams to mobility areas, and broadcasts, for each of multiple satellite beams, a message indicating (i) a set of mobility areas that are at least partially covered by the satellite beam and (ii) an indication of boundaries of the mobility areas in the set of mobility areas.

Systems, methods, and apparatus for protected multi-operators payload operations are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, a disclosed method for protected multi-operators payload operations comprises transmitting, by a hosted payload (HoP) operation center (HOC), encrypted hosted commands to a host spacecraft operations center (SOC). Also, the method comprises transmitting, by the host SOC, encrypted host commands and the encrypted hosted commands to a vehicle. In addition, the method comprises reconfiguring a payload on the vehicle according to unencrypted host commands and unencrypted hosted commands. Additionally, the method comprises transmitting, by a payload antenna on the vehicle, payload data to a host receiving antenna and a hosted receiving antenna. Also, the method comprises transmitting, by a telemetry transmitter on the vehicle, encrypted host telemetry and encrypted hosted telemetry to the host SOC. Further, the method comprises transmitting, by the host SOC, the encrypted hosted telemetry to the HOC.

Technology for a cellular signal booster with a satellite location system signal rebroadcast functionality is disclosed. The cellular signal booster can identify a satellite location system signal received via a satellite location system module of the cellular signal booster. The cellular signal booster can provide the satellite location system signal to a signal path for amplification of the satellite location system signal. The cellular signal booster can broadcast an amplified satellite location system signal to a mobile device within a defined distance from the cellular signal booster.

Systems, methods, and apparatus for a virtual transponder utilizing inband telemetry are disclosed. A disclosed method for a virtual transponder utilizing inband telemetry comprises transmitting, by a hosted payload (HoP) operation center (HOC), encrypted hosted commands to a host spacecraft operations center (SOC). The method further comprises transmitting, by the host SOC, encrypted host commands and encrypted hosted commands to a vehicle. Also, the method comprises reconfiguring a payload on the vehicle according to unencrypted host commands and/or unencrypted hosted commands. In addition, the method comprises transmitting payload data to a host receiving antenna and/or a hosted receiving antenna. Also, the method comprises transmitting encrypted host telemetry to the host SOC. In addition, the method comprises transmitting encrypted hosted telemetry to the hosted receiving antenna. Further, the method comprises transmitting, by the hosted receiving antenna, the encrypted hosted telemetry to the HOC.

The disclosure relates in some aspects to forbidden area procedures and connection release management for a user terminal (UT). Forbidden area-related procedures include, for example, using a special paging area code (PAC) in conjunction with a forbidden area, defining a location reporting threshold for a UT based on the proximity of the UT to a forbidden area, or using a default paging area code if a service restriction for a UT has ended. Connection release management includes, for example, a UT sending a request to cause the release of a Radio Connection that the UT no longer needs, or a UT sending a Location Indication (e.g., including a flag requesting release of a connection) to release the connection used for location reporting when a UT is done sending the location information and is going to go back to idle mode.

A disclosed method for secured multi-payload antennas operators operations comprises generating, by an antenna operations center (AOC), AOC commands using an antenna location pointing request for each of at least one antenna associated with each of at least one customer. The method further comprises transmitting, by a satellite operation center (SOC), the AOC commands and SOC commands to a vehicle via a ground antenna, where the SOC commands are related to at least one antenna associated with a host. Also, the method comprises generating customer antenna gimballing commands by using the AOC commands, and generating host antenna gimballing commands by using the SOC commands. Further, the method comprises gimballing respectively each of the antenna(s) associated with each of the customer(s) by using the customer antenna gimballing commands, and gimballing respectively each of the antenna(s) associated with the host by using the host antenna gimballing commands.

Systems, methods, and apparatus for a virtual transponder utilizing inband telemetry are disclosed. A disclosed method for a virtual transponder utilizing inband telemetry comprises transmitting, by a hosted payload (HoP) operation center (HOC), encrypted hosted commands to a host spacecraft operations center (SOC). The method further comprises transmitting, by the host SOC, encrypted host commands and encrypted hosted commands to a vehicle. Also, the method comprises reconfiguring a payload on the vehicle according to unencrypted host commands and/or unencrypted hosted commands. In addition, the method comprises transmitting payload data to a host receiving antenna and/or a hosted receiving antenna. Also, the method comprises transmitting encrypted host telemetry to the host SOC. In addition, the method comprises transmitting encrypted hosted telemetry to the hosted receiving antenna. Further, the method comprises transmitting, by the hosted receiving antenna, the encrypted hosted telemetry to the HOC.

A satellite communication system which supports encrypted DNS at the customer premise equipment terminal to provide the benefits of local DNS caching. Some implementations use Certificate Authority (CA)-signed Transport Layer Security (TLS) certificates. Implementations may provide encrypted DNS service at the CPE, where the system installs CA-signed TLS certificate at the customer premise equipment (CPE) terminal. The same certificate can be used at multiple terminals using a wild-card certificate distributed by the satellite to provide value added services at a CPE as secure web services to off-the-shelf web clients and applications.

Systems, methods, and apparatus for a virtual transponder utilizing inband commanding are disclosed. A disclosed method comprises transmitting, by a hosted payload (HoP) operation center (HOC), encrypted hosted commands to a hosted receiving antenna. The method further comprises transmitting, by the hosted receiving antenna, the encrypted hosted commands to a payload antenna on a vehicle. Also, the method comprises transmitting, by a host spacecraft operations center (SOC), encrypted host commands to the vehicle. Additionally, the method comprises reconfiguring a payload on the vehicle according to unencrypted host commands and/or unencrypted hosted commands. In addition, the method comprises transmitting, by the payload antenna, payload data to a host receiving antenna and/or hosted receiving antenna. Also, the method comprises transmitting encrypted host telemetry to the host SOC, and transmitting encrypted hosted telemetry to the host SOC. Further, the method comprises transmitting, by the host SOC, the encrypted hosted telemetry to the HOC.