Method and system for providing wideband communications to mobile users in a satellite-based network

DETAILED DESCRIPTION What is claimed is: 1.
A system for providing wideband communications to mobile users in a first satellite-based network, the system comprising: a plurality of satellites each having uplink and downlink antennas for transmitting and receiving a plurality of signals utilizing a plurality of spot beams to and from a plurality of coverage areas at a predetermined range of frequencies, each of the plurality of satellites transmitting and receiving the plurality of signals at one of a first plurality of data rates, each of the plurality of satellites include a hybrid switch coupled to a bent pipe repeater and a digital packet switch, each of the plurality of satellites comprise a programmable routing table coupled to the hybrid switch, the routing table includes user routing information so as to allow said hybrid switch to route the plurality of signals to said bent pipe repeater or said digital packet switch based on the signal transmitted by the user terminal and the user routing information in the routing table; and a plurality of user terminals for transmitting and receiving signals to and from the plurality of communications satellites at the predetermined range of frequencies and at one of the first plurality of data rates, and each of the user terminals having a steerable antenna for tracking relative movement of each of the user terminals with respect to each of the plurality of communications satellites and for tracking movement of each of the plurality of communications satellites so as to maintain communications with the plurality of communications satellites.
2.
The system as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of satellites further comprise an intersatellite link for communicating with each of the other plurality of satellites.
3.
The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of satellites include GEO satellites in a geostationary earth orbit constellation.
4.
The system as recited in claim 3 wherein the uplink and downlink antennas are multibeam antenna arrays