What is the minimum number of retransmission satellites that you would need to assist your LEO space station program - to provide a full time coverage to ensure a total communication with the space station, thus avoiding the use of ground-based antennas to communicate directly with the spacecraft? I guess that 2 GEO satellites, on oposite sides of Earth, would be enough. Any ideas? (green square - launch site; black dot - space station)
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$\begingroup$ Related (not a duplicate of): Minimum number of satellites to image the entirety of Earth's surface at all times and How can the optimal number of satellites in an orbital plane be determined? Can you please edit to explain what you mean with ... total communication, avoiding the use of ground-based antennas? Communication with what? For direct line of sight comms between two sats, they just need to be co-orbital with a phase angle difference less than 180° minus half the angular diameter of the Earth. $\endgroup$– TildalWaveJun 4, 2015 at 2:01
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The configuration you've drawn is almost enough. Both satellites must be able to reach the ground station, so you need to move the ground station (or the satellites) a bit.
