Satellite Communication

Overview
Satellite technology has progressed tremendously
over the last 50 years since Arthur C. Clarke first
proposed its idea in 1945 in his article in Wireless
World.
Today, satellite systems can provide a variety of
services including broadband communications,
audio/video distribution networks, maritime
navigation, worldwide customer service and support
as well as military command and control.
Satellite systems are also expected to play an
important role in the emerging 4G global
infrastructure providing the wide area coverage
necessary for the realization of the Optimally
Connected Anywhere, Anytime vision that drives
the growth of modern telecom industry.

Section 1: The SATCOM Industry System

Design Issues
An Overview of Satellite Communications
Examples of current military and commercial systems.
Satellite orbits and transponder characteristics (LEO, MEO, GEO)
Traffic Connectivity: Mesh, Hub-Spoke, Point-to-Point, Broadcast
Basic satellite transmission theory
Impairments of the Satellite Channel: Weather and Doppler effects,
Channel models.
Communications Link Calculations: Definition of EIRP, Noise
temperature and G/T ratio, Eb/No. Transponder gain and SFD. Link
Budget Calculations. Down-link requirements. Design of satellite links
to achieve a specified performance.
Earth Station Antenna types: Pointing/Tracking. Small antennas at Ku
band. FCC-Intelsat-ITU antenna requirements and EIRP density
limitations.
Brief introduction to implementation issues: LNA, Up/down
converters, oscillator phase noise.

Section 2: Elements of Transponder Design

The Baseband
Physical Layer of the Transponder The Baseband System
Introduction to the theory of Digital Communications:
Modulation, Equalization and FEC
Digital Modulation Techniques: BPSK, QPSK, Nyquist signal shaping.
Overview of Bandwidth Efficient Modulation (BEM) Techniques: M-ary
PSK, Trellis Coded 8PSK, QAM.
PSK Receiver Implementation issues: Carrier recovery, phase slips,
differential coding.

Overview of Forward Error Correction (FEC): Standard FEC

types (Block and Convolution Coding schemes, Viterbi
Decoding), Coding Gain, Concatenated coding, Turbo coding.

Section 3: Multiple Access Issues

Spread Spectrum Techniques: Military and commercial use of
spread-spectrum. Direct-Sequence PN, Frequency-Hop and
CDMA systems.
Principles of Multiple Access Communications
Multiplexing & Multiple Access FDD/TDD, FDMA, TDMA
Concepts of Random Access: ALOHA, CSMA

Multiple Access Techniques: FDMA, TDMA, CDMA. DAMA and

Bandwidth-on-Demand (BoD).
TDMA Networks: Time Slots, Preambles, Suitability for DAMA
and BoD.

Section 4: SATCOM Networks and Services

Satellite Communication Systems & Networks
Characteristics of IP and TCP/UDP over satellite: Unicast
and Multicast. Need for Performance

Enhancing Proxy (PEP) techniques.

VSAT Networks and their system characteristics.
DVB standards and MF-TDMA

The Future of SATCOM

SATCOMs role in the emerging 4G Information and
Communications (ICT) infrastructure.

Satellite History Calendar

1957
October 4, 1957: - First satellite - the Russian Sputnik 01
First living creature in space: Sputnik 02
1958
First American satellite: Explorer 01
First telecommunication satellite: This satellite broadcast a taped message: Score
1959
First meteorology satellite: Explorer 07
1960
First successful passive satellite: Echo 1
First successful active satellite: Courier 1B
First NASA satellite: Explorer 08
April 12, 1961: - First man in space
1962
First telephone communication & TV broadcast via satellite: Echo 1
First telecommunication satellite, first real-time active, AT&T: Telstar 1
First Canadian satellite: Alouette 1
On 7 th June 1962 at 7:53p the two-stage rocket; Rehbar-I was successfully launched from Sonmiani
Rocket Range. It carried a payload of 80 pounds of sodium and soared to about 130 km into the
atmosphere. With the launching of Rehbar-I, Pakistan had the honour of becoming the third
country in Asia and the tenth in the world to conduct such a launching after USA, USSR, UK, France,
Sweden, Italy, Canada, Japan and Israel.
Rehbar-II followed a successful launch on 9 th June 1962
1963
Real-time active: Telstar 2

Satellite History Calendar

1965
Intelsat 1 becomes first commercial comsat: Early Bird
First real-time active for USSR: Molniya 1A
1967
First geostationary meteorology payload: ATS 3
1968
First European satellite: ESRO 2B
July 21, 1969: - First man on the moon

1970

1971

1974

1976

1977

1979

First Japanese satellite: Ohsumi

First Chinese satellite: Dong Fang Hong 01
First UK launched satellite: Prospero
ITU-WARC for Space Telecommunications
INTELSAT IV Launched
INTERSPUTNIK - Soviet Union equivalent of INTELSAT formed
First direct broadcasting satellite: ATS 6
MARISAT - First civil maritime communications satellite service started
EUTELSAT - European regional satellite
ITU-WARC for Space Telecommunications in the Satellite Service
Creation of Inmarsat

Satellite History Calendar

1980

1983

1984

1985

1988

1989

1990

1992

1993

1994

1995

INTELSAT V launched - 3 axis stabilized satellite built by Ford Aerospace

ECS (EUTELSAT 1) launched - built by European consortium supervised by ESA
UK's UNISAT TV DBS satellite project abandoned
First satellite repaired in orbit by the shuttle: SMM
First Brazilian satellite: Brazilsat A1
First Mexican satellite: Morelos 1
First Luxemburg satellite: Astra 1A
INTELSAT VI - one of the last big "spinners" built by Hughes
Creation of Panamsat - Begins Service
On 16 July 1990, Pakistan launched its first experimental satellite, BADR-I from China
IRIDIUM, TRITIUM, ODYSSEY and GLOBALSTAR S-PCN projects proposed - CDMA designs more popular
EUTELSAT II
OLYMPUS finally launched - large European development satellite with Ka-band, DBTV and Ku-band SS/TDMA
payloads - fails within 3 years
INMARSAT II - 39 dBW EIRP global beam mobile satellite - built by Hughes/British Aerospace
INTELSAT VIII launched - first INTELSAT satellite built to a contractor's design
Hughes describe SPACEWAY design
DirecTV begins Direct Broadcast to Home
Panamsat - First private company to provide global satellite services.

Satellite History Calendar

1996

1997

1999

2000

2001

2002

AceS launch first of the L-band MSS Super-GSOs - built by Lockheed Martin
Iridium Bankruptcy - the first major failure?
Globalstar begins service
Thuraya launch L-band MSS Super-GSO
XM Satellite Radio begins service
Pakistans 2nd Satellite, BADR-B was launched on 10 Dec 2001 at 9:15a from Baikonour Cosmodrome, Kazakistan
Sirius Satellite Radio begins service
Paksat-1, was deployed at 38 degrees E orbital slot in December 2002, Paksat-1, was deployed at 38 degrees E orbital
slot in December 2002

VUSat OSCAR-52 (HAMSAT) Launched

2006

IRIDIUM launches first test satellites

ITU-WRC'97

2004
Teledesic network planned to start operation
2005
Intelsat and Panamsat Merge

INMARSAT III launched - first of the multibeam mobile satellites (built by GE/Marconi)
Echostar begins Diresct Broadcast Service

CubeSat-OSCAR 56 (Cute-1.7) Launched

K7RR-Sat launched by California Politechnic University

2007
Prism was launched by University of Tokyo
2008
COMPASS-1; a project of Aachen University was launched from Satish Dawan Space Center, India. It failed to achieve
orbit.

Intelsat
INTELSAT is the original "Inter-governmental Satellite organization". It
once owned and operated most of the World's satellites used for
international communications, and still maintains a substantial fleet of
satellites.
INTELSAT is moving towards "privatization", with increasing competition
from commercial operators (e.g. Panamsat, Loral Skynet, etc.).
INTELSAT Timeline:
Interim organization formed in 1964 by 11 countries
Permanent structure formed in 1973
Commercial "spin-off", New Skies Satellites in 1998
Full "privatization" by April 2001
INTELSAT has 143 members and signatories listed here.

Intelsat Structure

Eutelsat

Permanent General Secretariat opened September 1978

Intergovernmental Conference adopted definitive statutes with 26 members on 14 May 1982
Definitive organization entered into force on 1 September 1985

General Secretariat -> Executive Organ

Executive Council -> EUTELSAT Board of Signatories

Secretary General -> Director General

Current DG is Giuliano Berretta

Currently almost 50 members
Moving towards "privatization"
Limited company owning and controlling of all assets and activities

Also a "residual" intergovernmental organization which will ensure that basic principles of
pan-European coverage, universal service, non-discrimination and fair competition are
observed by the company

Eutelsat Structure

Communication Satellite
A Communication Satellite can be looked
upon as a large microwave repeater
It contains several transponders which listens
to some portion of spectrum, amplifies the
incoming signal and broadcasts it in another
frequency to avoid interference with incoming
signals.

Motivation to use Satellites

Satellite Missions

Source: Union of Concerned Scientists [www.ucsusa.org]

Satellite Microwave Transmission

Satellites can relay signals over a long distance
Geostationary Satellites
Remain above the equator at a height of about
22300 miles (geosynchronous orbits)
Travel around the earth in exactly the same time,
the earth takes to rotate

Satellite System Elements

Space Segment

Satellite Launching Phase

Transfer Orbit Phase
Deployment
Operation
TT&C - Tracking Telemetry and Command Station
SSC - Satellite Control Center, a.k.a.:
OCC - Operations Control Center
SCF - Satellite Control Facility

Retirement Phase

Ground Segment
Collection of facilities, Users and Applications

Earth Station = Satellite Communication Station

(Fixed or Mobile)

Satellite Uplink and Downlink

Downlink
The link from a satellite down to one or more ground
stations or receivers

Uplink
The link from a ground station up to a satellite.

Some companies sell uplink and downlink services to

television stations, corporations, and to other
telecommunication carriers.
A company can specialize in providing uplinks, downlinks,
or both.

Satellite Uplink and Downlink

Satellite Communication

Source: Cryptome [Cryptome.org]

When using a satellite for long

distance communications, the
satellite acts as a repeater.
An earth station transmits the
signal up to the satellite
(uplink), which in turn
retransmits it to the receiving
earth station (downlink).
Different frequencies are used
for uplink/downlink.

Satellite Transmission Links

Earth stations Communicate by sending
signals to the satellite on an uplink
The satellite then repeats those signals on a
downlink
The broadcast nature of downlink makes it
attractive for services such as the distribution
of TV programs

Direct to User Services

One way Service (Broadcasting)

Two way Service (Communication)

Satellite Signals
Used to transmit signals and data over long
distances

Weather forecasting
Television broadcasting
Internet communication
Global Positioning Systems

Satellite Transmission Bands

Frequency Band

Downlink

Uplink

3,700-4,200 MHz 5,925-6,425 MHz

Ku

11.7-12.2 GHz

14.0-14.5 GHz

Ka

17.7-21.2 GHz

27.5-31.0 GHz

The C band is the most frequently used. The Ka and Ku bands are reserved
exclusively for satellite communication but are subject to rain attenuation

Types of Satellite Orbits

Based on the inclination, i, over the equatorial plane:
Equatorial Orbits above Earths equator (i=0)
Polar Orbits pass over both poles (i=90)
Other orbits called inclined orbits (0<i<90)

Based on Eccentricity
Circular with centre at the earths centre
Elliptical with one foci at earths centre

Types of Satellite based Networks

Based on the Satellite Altitude
GEO Geostationary Orbits
36000 Km = 22300 Miles, equatorial, High latency

MEO Medium Earth Orbits

High bandwidth, High power, High latency

LEO Low Earth Orbits

Low power, Low latency, More Satellites, Small Footprint

VSAT
Very Small Aperture Satellites
Private WANs

Satellite Orbits

Source: Federation of American Scientists [www.fas.org]

Geosynchronous Orbit
(GEO): 36,000 km above
Earth, includes commercial
and military communications
satellites, satellites providing
early warning of ballistic
missile launch.
Medium Earth Orbit (MEO):
from 5000 to 15000 km,
they include navigation
satellites (GPS, Galileo,
Glonass).
Low Earth Orbit (LEO): from
500 to 1000 km above Earth,
includes military intelligence
satellites, weather satellites.

Satellite Orbits

GEO - Geostationary Orbit

In the equatorial plane
Orbital Period = 23 h 56 m 4.091 s
= 1 sidereal day*
Satellite appears to be stationary over any point on equator:
Earth Rotates at same speed as Satellite
Radius of Orbit r = Orbital Height + Radius of Earth
Avg. Radius of Earth = 6378.14 Km

3 Satellites can cover the earth (120 apart)

NGSO - Non Geostationary Orbits

Orbit should avoid Van
Allen radiation belts:
Region of charged particles
that can cause damage to
satellite
Occur at
~2000-4000 km and
~13000-25000 km

LEO - Low Earth Orbits

Circular or inclined orbit with < 1400 km altitude
Satellite travels across sky from horizon to horizon in 5 - 15
minutes => needs handoff
Earth stations must track satellite or have Omni directional
antennas
Large constellation of satellites is needed for continuous
communication (66 satellites needed to cover earth)
Requires complex architecture
Requires tracking at ground

HEO - Highly Elliptical Orbits

HEOs (i = 63.4) are suitable to provide
coverage at high latitudes (including North
Pole in the northern hemisphere)
Depending on selected orbit (e.g. Molniya,
Tundra, etc.) two or three satellites are
sufficient for continuous time coverage of
the service area.
All traffic must be periodically transferred
from the setting satellite to the rising
satellite (Satellite Handover)

Satellite Orbits

Source: Union of Concerned Scientists [www.ucsusa.org]

Why Satellites remain in Orbits

Advantages of Satellite
Communication

Can reach over large geographical area

Flexible (if transparent transponders)
Easy to install new circuits
Circuit costs independent of distance
Broadcast possibilities
Temporary applications (restoration)
Niche applications
Mobile applications (especially "fill-in")
Terrestrial network "by-pass"
Provision of service to remote or underdeveloped areas
User has control over own network
1-for-N multipoint standby possibilities

Disadvantages of Satellite
Communication
Large up front capital costs (space segment
and launch)
Terrestrial break even distance expanding
(now approx. size of Europe)
Interference and propagation delay
Congestion of frequencies and orbits

When to use Satellites

When the unique features of satellite communications make it
attractive
When the costs are lower than terrestrial routing
When it is the only solution
Examples:

Communications to ships and aircraft (especially safety communications)

TV services - contribution links, direct to cable head, direct to home
Data services - private networks
Overload traffic
Delaying terrestrial investments
1 for N diversity
Special events

When to use Terrestrial

PSTN - satellite is becoming increasingly uneconomic for

most trunk telephony routes
but, there are still good reasons to use satellites for
telephony such as: thin routes, diversity, very long distance
traffic and remote locations.
Land mobile/personal communications - in urban areas of
developed countries new terrestrial infrastructure is likely
to dominate (e.g. GSM, etc.)
but, satellite can provide fill-in as terrestrial networks are
implemented, also provide similar services in rural areas
and underdeveloped countries

Frequency Bands Allocated to the FSS

Frequency bands are allocated to different services at World
Radio-communication Conferences (WRCs).
Allocations are set out in Article S5 of the ITU Radio Regulations.
It is important to note that (with a few exceptions) bands are generally
allocated to more than one radio services.

CONSTRAINTS
Bands have traditionally been divided into commercial" and
"government/military" bands, although this is not reflected in the Radio
Regulations and is becoming less clear-cut as "commercial" operators move to
utilize "government" bands.

Earths atmosphere

Source: All about GPS [www.kowoma.de]

Atmospheric Losses
Different types of atmospheric losses can disturb radio
wave transmission in satellite systems:
Atmospheric absorption
Atmospheric attenuation
Traveling ionospheric disturbances

Atmospheric Absorption
Energy absorption by atmospheric gases, which
varies with the frequency of the radio waves.
Two absorption peaks are observed (for 90
elevation angle):
22.3 GHz from resonance absorption in water
vapour (H2O)
60 GHz from resonance absorption in oxygen (O2)

For other elevation angles:

[AA] = [AA]90 cosec

Source: Satellite Communications, Dennis Roddy, McGraw-Hill

Atmospheric Attenuation
Rain is the main cause of atmospheric attenuation (hail, ice and
snow have little effect on attenuation because of their low
water content).
Total attenuation from rain can be determined by:
A = L [dB]
where [dB/km] is called the specific attenuation, and can be
calculated from specific attenuation coefficients in tabular form that
can be found in a number of publications
where L [km] is the effective path length of the signal through the rain;
note that this differs from the geometric path length due to fluctuations
in the rain density.

Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances

Traveling ionospheric disturbances are clouds of electrons
in the ionosphere that provoke radio signal fluctuations
which can only be determined on a statistical basis.
The disturbances of major concern are:
Scintillation;
Polarisation rotation.

Scintillations are variations in the amplitude, phase,

polarisation, or angle of arrival of radio waves, caused by
irregularities in the ionosphere which change over time.
The main effect of scintillations is fading of the signal.

What is Polarisation?
Polarisation is the property of electromagnetic waves that
describes the direction of the transverse electric field.
Since electromagnetic waves consist of an electric and a
magnetic field vibrating at right angles to each other.
it is necessary to adopt a convention to determine the
polarisation of the signal.
Conventionally, the magnetic field is ignored and the plane
of the electric field is used.

Types of Polarisation
Linear Polarisation (horizontal or
vertical):
the two orthogonal components
of the electric field are in phase;
The direction of the line in the
plane depends on the relative
amplitudes of the two
components.

Circular Polarisation:
The two components are exactly
90 out of phase and have
exactly the same amplitude.

Elliptical Polarisation:
All other cases.
Linear Polarisation

Circular Polarisation

Elliptical Polarisation

Satellite Communications
Alternating vertical and horizontal
polarisation is widely used on
satellite communications
This reduces interference between
programs on the same frequency
band transmitted from adjacent
satellites (One uses vertical, the next
horizontal, and so on)
Allows for reduced angular
separation between the satellites.

Information Resources for Telecommunication Professionals

[www.mlesat.com]