Satellite constellation

A group of satellites working in concert is known as a satellite constellation. Low Earth orbiting satellites are often deployed in satellite constellations.

A satellite constellation can be considered to be a number of satellites with coordinated coverage, working together under shared control.

Examples of satellite constellations include the GPS constellation for navigation and geodesy, the Iridium and Globalstar satellite telephony services, Russian elliptical Molnya constellations, and the proposed Teledesic broadband constellation.

Satellite constellation coverage and geometry -- determining the minimum number of satellites needed to provide a service, and their orbits -- is a field in itself.

External Links

• SaVi satellite constellation visualization (http://savi.sourceforge.net/)
• Internetworking with satellite constellations - a PhD thesis (http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/Personal/L.Wood/publications/PhD-thesis/)
• Lloyd's satellite constellations (http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/Personal/L.Wood/constellations/)
• The Benefits of Low-Earth Orbiting Satellite Technology for the International Community: Can the Potential be Realized? (http://ijgls.indiana.edu/archive/05/02/nogueira.shtml)