SatelliteCommunications

Introduction

Generalconcepts
Needs,advantages,and
disadvantages
Satellitecharacteristics
Orbits
Earthcoverage
Communicationcharacteristics

SpectrumandBandwidth
Channelcapacity
FrequencyandWavelength

GPS Satellite - NASA

Text
Text
Satellite Communications, Second
Edition, T. Pratt, C. Bostian, and J.
Allnut, John Wilen & Sons, 2003.

General Concepts of Satellites:

They orbit around the earth
Have various orbital paths (to be
discussed)

They carry their own source of

power
They can communicate with:
Ground stations fixed on earth surface
Moving platforms (Non-orbital)
Other orbiting satellites
3

Needs,Advantages&Disadvantages
Communications needs
Advantages of using satellites
Disadvantages of using satellites

Satellite Communications
Needs
Space vehicle to be used as
communications platform
(Earth-Space-Earth, Space-Earth, SpaceSpace)

Space vehicle to be used as sensor

platform with communications
Ground station(s) (Tx/Rx)
Ground receivers (Rx only)
5

Advantages of Using Satellites

High channel capacity (>100 Mb/s)
Low error rates (Pe ~ 10-6)
Stable cost environment (no longdistance cables or national
boundaries)
Wide area coverage
Coverage can be shaped by antenna
patterns
6

Disadvantages of Using
Satellites

Expensive to launch
Expensive ground stations required
Maintenance Difficult
Limited frequency spectrum
Limited orbital space
(GeoStationary)
Constant ground monitoring
required for positioning and
operational control

Satellite Characteristics
Orbiting platforms for data gathering
and communications position
holding/tracking
VHF, UHF, and microwave radiation
used for communications with Ground
Station(s)
Signal path losses - power limitations
Systems difficult to repair and
maintain
Sensitive political environment, with
competing interests and relatively

Mission Dependent Characteristics

Orbital parameters
Height (velocity & period related to
this)
Orientation (determined by
application)
Location (especially for geostationary
orbits)

Power sources
Solar (principal), nuclear, chemical
power

Satellite Application Examples

Telecommunications
Military communications
Navigation systems
Remote sensing and
surveillance
Radio / Television Broadcasting
Astronomical research
Weather observation
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Orbital Properties
Altitude (radius to center of the
earth)
Inclination with respect to the earth
axis
Period of rotation about the earth
Ground coverage by the satellite
Communications path length(s)

Lect 01

2012 Raymond P. Jefferis III

11

Types of Orbit

Dr. Leila Z. Ribeiro, George Mason University

12

Missions Associated with Orbit

Types
GEO
Primarily commercial communications

MEO
Military and research uses
Global Positioning Systems

LEO
Remote sensing

Lect 01 - 13

LEO and MEO Features

Earth coverage requires multiple passes
Typical pass requires about 90 minutes
Signal paths relatively short (lower
losses)
Small area, high resolution ground image
Earth station tracking required
Multiple satellites for continuous
coverage

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Geo-Synchronous Satellite (GEO)

Features

Appearsfixedoverpointonearthequator
Eachsatellitecancover120degreeslatitude
OrbitalRadius=42,164.17km
EarthRadius=6,378.137km(avg)
Period(SiderealDay)=23.9344696hr
(86164.090530833seconds)
Longsignalpathlargepathlosses

15

Orbital Altitudes and Problems

Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
80 - 500 km altitude
Atmospheric drag below 300 km

Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)

2000 - 35000 km altitude
Van Allen radiation between 200 - 1000 km

Geostationary Orbit (GEO)

35,786 km altitude (42,164.57 km radius)
Difficult orbital insertion and maintenance
16

Orbital Inclinations
Equatorial
Prograde inclined toward the east
Retrograde inclined toward the west

Inclined
Various inclination angles with respect
to the spin axis of the earth, including
polar

Geostationary (on equator; no

inclination)
Sun synchronous

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Earth Coverage Calculation

BytheLawofSines:

rs
d

sin( ) sin( )
and,

90
Theelevationangleisapproximately,

cos( ) rs sin( ) / d

Lect 01

2012 Raymond P. Jefferis III

18

Earth Coverage Calculation

(continued)
The total coverage area on the
surface of the earth, using the
previously calculated value of ) is
given by
the equation,
2
A 2 re (1 Cos[ ])

Lect 01

2012 Raymond P. Jefferis III

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Earth Coverage vs Satellite

Altitude

Lect 01

2012 Raymond P. Jefferis III

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Satellite Communication
Characteristics

Via electromagnetic waves (radio)

Typically at microwave frequencies
High losses due to path length
Many interference sources
Attenuation due to atmosphere and
weather
High-gain antennas needed (dish) to
make up for path loss and noise

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Frequencies of Interest for

Satellites
Generally between 1 GHz and 30 GHz.
The microwave spectrum
Allows efficient generation of signal power
Energy radiated into space
Energy may be focused (beam shaping)
Efficient reception over a specified area.
Properties vary according to the frequency used:
Propagation effects (diffraction, noise, fading)
Antenna Sizes
Lect 01

2012 Raymond P. Jefferis III

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Designated Microwave Bands

Standard designations
For microwave bands
Common bands for satellite
communication are the L, C and Ku
bands.

Wikipedia

Lect 01

2012 Raymond P. Jefferis III

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Common Microwave Frequency

Allocations
Lband
0.9501.450GHz
Note:GPSat1.57542GHz

Cband
3.74.2GHz(Downlink)
5.9256.425GHz(Uplink)

Kuband

11.712.2GHz(Downlink)
1414.5GHz(Uplink)
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Common Microwave Frequency

Allocations
Kaband

18.318.8,19.720.2GHz(Downlink)
30GHz(Uplink)

Vband
4075GHz

25

L-Band
Frequencies: 0.950 1.450 GHz (
~30cm)
Uses:
Radio communications
GPS devices

Features:

Lect 01

Patch antenna used for GPS receivers

Low rain fade - Low atmospheric atten. (long
paths)
Low power
Small receiver configurations
2012 Raymond P. Jefferis III

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C-Band

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C-Band
Frequencies: 3.7 - 6.425 GHz ( ~5cm)
Uses:
TV reception
VSAT

Features:
Large dish antenna needed (3m diameter)
Low rain fade - Low atmospheric atten. (long
paths)
Low power - terrestrial microwave
interferences
Lect 01

2012 Raymond P. Jefferis III

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Ku-Band

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Ku-Band
Frequencies: 12 - 18 GHz ( ~ 2cm)
Uses:
Remote TV broadcasting
Satellite communications
VSAT

Features:
Rain, snow, ice (on dish) susceptibility
Small antenna size - high antenna gain
High power allowed

Lect 01

2012 Raymond P. Jefferis III

30

Ka-Band
Frequencies: 18 - 40 GHz
Uses:
High-resolution radar
Communications systems
Deep space communications

Features:
Obstacles interfere (buildings,
vegetation, etc.)
Atmospheric absorption
Lect 01

2012 Raymond P. Jefferis III

31

V-Band
Frequencies:40to75GHz.
Uses:
Millimeterwaveradarresearch(veryexpensive!)
Highcapacitymillimeterwavecommunications

Features:

Lect 01

Rainfade
Obstaclesblockpath
Atmosphericabsorption
Expensiveequipment

2012 Raymond P. Jefferis III

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