公开(公告)号：US12015202B2

公开(公告)日：2024-06-18

申请号：US18195901

申请日：2023-05-10

Applicant: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION

Inventor： Arun Kumar Bhattacharyya ,  Elie Germain Tianang ,  Alan Cherrette ,  Jonathan James Bennett

IPC: H01Q19/19 ,  H01Q3/14 ,  H01Q3/26 ,  H01Q5/35 ,  H01Q15/16 ,  H01Q15/18

CPC classification number: H01Q15/162 ,  H01Q3/14 ,  H01Q3/2658 ,  H01Q5/35 ,  H01Q15/18

Abstract: A multisegment array-fed reflector antenna includes a feed array consisting of a number of subarrays and a multisegment reflector to reflect multiple beams of the feed array into a number of elevation angles. A support structure couples the multisegment reflector to the feed array. The multisegment reflector includes two or more ring-focus parabolic segments, and each ring-focus parabolic segment is a parabolic surface extending along a circle around the support structure.

公开(公告)号：US11881627B2

公开(公告)日：2024-01-23

申请号：US17086045

申请日：2020-10-30

Applicant: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION

Inventor： Jonathan James Bennett ,  Alan Cherrette ,  Andrew H. Kwon ,  Elie Germain Tianang ,  Mark Adam Patrick ,  Paul A. Porter ,  Gregory Eric Edlund ,  Robert Mark Clark

IPC: H01Q21/20 ,  H04W16/28

CPC classification number: H01Q21/20 ,  H04W16/28

Abstract: A Reconfigurable, Flexible Multi-User (RFMU) electronically steered antenna (ESA) includes a top panel and a number of side panels that enable many contacts simultaneously with varying gain requirements from a single, in situ, installation. The top panel includes multiple subarrays and can communicate with flyover satellites, and the side panels can communicate with satellites flying past a side of the ESA. The top panel and the side panels can achieve a beam steering that covers a full or partial, variable gain, hemispheric field-of-view (FoV). The RFMU ESA terminal top and side panels are scalable using flexible modular building blocks. This enables increased contacts, increased gain or a combination thereof sized to meet desired performance.

公开(公告)号：US11688950B2

公开(公告)日：2023-06-27

申请号：US16989795

申请日：2020-08-10

Applicant: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION

Inventor： Arun Kumar Bhattacharyya ,  Elie Germain Tianang ,  Alan Cherrette ,  Jonathan James Bennett

IPC: H01Q19/19 ,  H01Q15/16 ,  H01Q3/14 ,  H01Q5/35 ,  H01Q15/18 ,  H01Q3/26

CPC classification number: H01Q15/162 ,  H01Q3/14 ,  H01Q3/2658 ,  H01Q5/35 ,  H01Q15/18

Abstract: A multisegment array-fed reflector antenna includes a feed array consisting of a number of subarrays and a multisegment reflector to reflect multiple beams of the feed array into a number of elevation angles. A support structure couples the multisegment reflector to the feed array. The multisegment reflector includes two or more ring-focus parabolic segments, and each ring-focus parabolic segment is a parabolic surface extending along a circle around the support structure.

公开(公告)号：US12132564B2

公开(公告)日：2024-10-29

申请号：US16748669

申请日：2020-01-21

Applicant: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION

Inventor： Alan Cherrette

IPC: H04B7/185 ,  B64G1/10 ,  H04B7/19 ,  H04B7/195 ,  H04B10/112 ,  H04B10/118 ,  H04Q11/00

CPC classification number: H04B7/18554 ,  B64G1/1007 ,  B64G1/1085 ,  H04B7/18515 ,  H04B7/1858 ,  H04B7/19 ,  H04B7/195 ,  H04B10/112 ,  H04B10/118 ,  H04Q11/0066 ,  H04Q2011/0092

Abstract: A high data rate distribution network for low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations is described. The high data rate distribution network includes multiple LEO constellations, each constellation including a number of LEO spacecraft orbiting in a LEO plane that are all connected together by by-directional free space optical links. The distribution network further includes geostationary earth orbit (GEO) spacecraft in communication with a number of ground gateways. The GEO spacecraft can receive forward communication traffic including radio-frequency (RF) and/or optical data streams uplinked from the ground gateways and can convert the received forward communication traffic into a forward aggregated traffic. The GEO spacecraft can further optically downlink the forward aggregated traffic to LEO spacecraft in a LEO constellation that is in line of sight of the GEO spacecraft. The forward aggregated traffic is then disaggregated among and received by the LEO spacecraft in the LEO constellation. Return communication traffic from each LEO spacecraft can also be aggregated into a return aggregated traffic from the LEO constellation. The return aggregated traffic is optically uplinked to a GEO spacecraft by a LEO spacecraft of the LEO constellation that is in line of sight of the GEO spacecraft. The GEO spacecraft converts the received return aggregate traffic into multiple RF and/or optical data streams that are down linked to a number of ground gateways.

公开(公告)号：US20250015883A1

公开(公告)日：2025-01-09

申请号：US18890875

申请日：2024-09-20

Applicant: Lockheed Martin Corporation

Inventor： Alan Cherrette

IPC: H04B7/185 ,  B64G1/10 ,  H04B7/19 ,  H04B7/195 ,  H04B10/112 ,  H04B10/118 ,  H04Q11/00

Abstract: LEO satellites of orbital planes are configured to communicate with at least one GEO satellite based at least on present line of sight. GEO satellites are configured to communicate with ground gateways and convert among uplink communications and optical communications of GEO-to-LEO optical links established with selected LEO satellites and comprising optical beams within a wavelength multiplexed arrangement individually assigned to corresponding LEO satellites in each orbital plane. Selected LEO satellites are configured to optically demultiplex a GEO-to-LEO optical link into local optical beams on optical fibers, direct a demultiplexed assigned optical beam of an incoming LEO optical link from a previous in-plane LEO satellite to an onboard destination with an optical splitter on a corresponding optical fiber, and multiplex the local optical beams on the optical fibers for an outgoing free space LEO optical link directed to a subsequent in-plane LEO satellite.

公开(公告)号：US11901630B1

公开(公告)日：2024-02-13

申请号：US17176563

申请日：2021-02-16

Applicant: Lockheed Martin Corporation

Inventor： Alan Cherrette

IPC: H01Q19/18 ,  H01Q3/20 ,  H01Q3/34 ,  H01Q1/28

CPC classification number: H01Q19/18 ,  H01Q3/20 ,  H01Q1/288 ,  H01Q3/34

Abstract: Provided herein are various improvements to antenna stabilization systems, such as employed on confocal phased array reflector antenna arrangements. In one example, a system includes a feed structure for a main reflector, the feed structure comprising an electronically scanned array (ESA) feed and a sub-reflector. The sub-reflector is configured to propagate a signal between the ESA feed and the main reflector. The system also includes a star tracker element coupled to the feed structure and configured to determine orientation information relative to star alignment, and laser distancing elements coupled to the feed structure and configured to determine distance measurements relative to the main reflector. A control system is configured to determine pointing errors of the main reflector based at least on the orientation information and the distance measurements, and these pointing errors can be used by the ESA feed to adjust steering of a signal towards a target.