CPC H04B 7/18513 (2013.01) [G01S 19/254 (2013.01); H04B 7/18534 (2013.01); H04W 84/06 (2013.01); G01S 13/88 (2013.01)] | 14 Claims |
1. A method for communications between an orbiting satellite and a network of ground stations, the method comprising;
operating a satellite at an altitude at least between 200 km and 350 km; and
steering a beam of an electrically steerable antenna toward a first ground station based on a predetermined first location of the first ground station;
controlling a satellite mounted transmitter to transmit data via a first signal associated with a data transmission from the satellite to the first ground station;
receiving the first signal at the first ground station;
steering the beam of the electrically steerable antenna toward a second ground station based on a predetermined second location of the second ground station; and
controlling the satellite mounted transmitters to facilitate a hand-off of data from the first ground station to the second ground station.
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