A satellite system for detecting radio frequency signals from space including at least two sensors, a processing unit and at least one receiver. Each sensor receives a plurality of radio frequency signals containing messages and outputs a sensor signal that is representative of the plurality of radio frequency signals. The processing unit selects a predetermined number of mathematical combinations of the sensor signals and combines the sensor signals into the predetermined number of mathematical combinations to produce a plurality of zone signals. The characteristics of each zone signal are undefined at the time the predetermined number of mathematical combinations is selected. The receiver extracts the messages contained in the zone signals.