359. Feasibility Study to Use Commercial Geostationary Communications Satellites to Relay Data to the Earth from Low Earth Orbit Satellites
Team
| Name | Role | Primary |
| Brian Kopp | Principal Investigator | ● |
| Pat Hynes | Principal Investigator | |
| Ken Davidian | Tech Monitor | ● |
| Nick Demidovich | Tech Monitor | |
| Cammiea Archuleta | Fiscal Admin | ● |
| Crystal Luchini | Fiscal Admin | ● |
| Patricia True | Contract Admin | ● |
| Joylynn Watkins | Research Assistant |
Project Description
This study will explore the technical parameters and performance capabilities of various configurations of LEO satellite orbits and GEO communication satellite constellations and also identify the global regulatory issues associated with introducing this new type of communications service into the commercial satellite communications industry. A cost-benefit analysis will then examine these results to determine to what extent such a communications system is feasible.
Project Outcomes
The commercial satellite communications industry has approximately 290 operational satellites currently in geostationary orbit [2]. These satellites provide communications services to fixed and mobile satellite terminals on, or near, the surface of the earth. These services involve the use of one of the parallel communications relay devices on board a communications satellite called a transponder. Together this inventory of communications satellites and their transponders offer a significant availability of communications services around the entire earth. This study proposes that these existing GEO communication satellite services can be used to communicate with new LEO satellites, potentially increasing a typical LEO satellite mission capability by providing more communications resources and potentially reducing the cost to operate the LEO satellite by reducing or eliminating the need for new ground stations.
Summary of Output
The study has several objectives. To determine if the hypothesis is feasible one objective is to define the necessary technical parameters to operate such a system. Another objective is to define the performance capabilities of such a system. A third objective is to define the global regulatory steps needed to introduce a new type of satellite communications into the Fixed Satellite Services market. The final object is to assess the technical parameters, performance capabilities, and regulatory steps, under the lens of the current market for commercial satellite communication service to complete a cost benefit analysis.