Cyril Michel

Progressive set-up of LEO inclined constellations

Low Earth Orbiting satellites constellations are proposed for mobile satellite services. The constellation optimization can be driven by several factors in order to provide a high capacity worlwide telephony system and a minimized total cost. This paper proposes a set-up procedure of the constellation in order to take into account the time-dependent penetration of the system. At the begining of the service a first part of the constellation is launched in order to offer the service to the first users. During the second phase of service, a second part of the constellation is launched in order to offer the required capacity for a growing demand. The last phase corresponds to the maximum penetration of the market where the constellation is completed. This set-up procedure allows to spread the total invesment cost, and to offer a capacity matching the customers demand. The orbit altitude, the inclination angle and the orbital phasings are chosen in order to minimize the total number of satellites in accordance with the ability to offer a progressive set-up of the constellation.