Communications Satellites

Communications Satellites: The Technology of Space Communications focuses on the technologies and approaches employed in communications satellites.

The book first tackles geosynchronous orbit, low orbit to geosynchronous altitude, disturbances in orbit, and turning a crate into a satellite. Topics include thermal and electrical power, station-keeping, and 'pointing'. The publication then ponders on on-board communications equipment, logarithms and decibels, and radio frequencies and wavelengths and their allocations. Discussions focus on fixed, broadcast, and mobile services, complete satellite, transponders, and antennas.

The manuscript examines earth stations, traffic capacity and quality, selecting a satellite, and economic system optimization. Compression and modulation techniques, echo and delay, encryption, space loss, estimation of traffic capacity and quality, and up-link transmission are discussed. The text then elaborates on the economics of satellite communications and operational systems.

The publication is valuable reference for readers interested in the technologies and approaches involved in communications satellites.

Preface

List of Photographs

Acknowledgments

Introduction

1 Getting a Crate into Orbit

2 The Geosynchronous Orbit

3 From Low Orbit to Geosynchronous Altitude

4 Disturbances in Orbit

5 Turning a Crate into a Satellite

Station-Keeping

Pointing

Electrical Power

Thermal Control

Nearly a Working Satellite

6 On-Board Communications Equipment

Transponders

Antennas

The Complete Satellite

7 Logarithms and Decibels

8 Radio Frequencies and Wavelengths, and their Allocations

9 Coverage, Gain and EIRP

10 Earth Stations

Types, Construction and Sizes

Performance

Up-Link Transmission

Pointing an Earth Station

11 Traffic Capacity and Quality

Quality

EIRP and G/T

Space Loss

Boltzmann’s Constant

Capacity

Other Losses

Estimating Traffic Capacity and Quality

Worked Examples

12 Selecting a Satellite

13 Economic System Optimization

Access Methods

Modulation Techniques

Compression Techniques

Encryption

Echo and Delay

14 Encryption

One-Way Functions

Modulo Arithmetic

Example of Encryption and Decryption

Scrambling

15 Operational Systems

16 The Economics of Satellite Communications

Satellite Prices

System Prices

System Income and Profit

User Profit

17 Future Trends

Further Reading

Appendix Manufacturers and Owners

Index