Enabling CP terminals for accessing LP satellite transponders via wavefront multiplexing techniques

Satellite links supported by circularly polarized (CP) antennas and linearly polarized (LP) antennas respectively have long been conceived as two incompatible assets. Via Wavefront Multiplexing techniques, we show that the CP and LP satellite assets can be mutually assistive. There are some markets that have been populated with many LP satellites and CP terminals. The presented techniques enable satellite operators to cost-effectively service Ku-band VSAT users, either in fixed satellite service (FSS) or mobile satellite service (MSS) markets, via LP space assets in Ku band. Central to our subject are the Wavefront Multiplexing (WF muxing) techniques. Multiple LP transponders become accessible efficiently by CP ground terminals, and vice versa, without modifications of ground user equipment and satellite assets. In addition, applications of WF muxing techniques offer the following extended features to the transponders: (1) coherent power combining of output powers, and (2) dynamic output power allocations. Proposed methods not only enable VSAT terminals to access CP or LP space assets equally well, but also allow teleport operators to manage their assets with greater flexibility.