US 12,221,234 B2
Satellite constellation forming system, satellite constellation forming method, satellite constellation, deorbit method, debris collection method, and ground device
Hisayuki Mukae, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Appl. No. 17/603,345
Filed by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Tokyo (JP)
PCT Filed May 31, 2019, PCT No. PCT/JP2019/021740
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 13, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/240825, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 3, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0177165 A1, Jun. 9, 2022
Int. Cl. B64G 1/24 (2006.01); B64G 1/10 (2006.01); B64G 1/62 (2006.01)
CPC B64G 1/242 (2013.01) [B64G 1/1085 (2013.01); B64G 1/244 (2019.05); B64G 1/62 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A satellite constellation forming system to form a satellite constellation having a first plurality of satellites moving according to a first orbit and a second plurality of satellites moving according to a second orbit, the first and second orbits each having a different normal direction and in each of which the same number of satellites fly, the satellite constellation forming system comprising:
processing circuitry to control the first plurality of satellites and the second plurality of satellites to change an orbital altitude thereof to respectively correspond to the first and the second orbits in a state in which satellite passage timings of satellites flying in the two orbits do not coincide with each other at an intersection neighborhood portion associated with the first and second orbits in each of the first and second orbits, while maintaining the state in which satellite passage timings of the satellites flying in the first orbit and the second orbit do not coincide with each other,
wherein the processing circuitry controls the first plurality of satellites and the second plurality of satellites to change the orbital altitude thereof to respectively correspond to the first and the second orbits according to sequential change of orbital altitude of the first plurality of satellites followed by the second plurality of satellites such that an unoccupied orbital altitude at which none of the satellites are currently flying is sequentially filled by the first plurality of satellites followed by the second plurality of satellites.