Geographical distribution of gateways to support satellite diversity in CDMA LEO mobile satellite systems

In CDMA LEO mobile satellite systems employing bent-pipe transponders, service availability and the ability to employ satellite diversity for improved signal reception at a specific mobile terminal location depends heavily on the spatial distributions of gateways. We present strategies to determine the optimal gateway distribution to ensure service availability wherever there is satellite coverage. The effect of gateway distribution on the availability of satellite diversity is also investigated.