Optical

Satellite
Comunicatio
ns
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OPT"CA%
CO&&#"CAT"O
DE$""T"O'(
Optical communication the use of
electromagnetic waves in the region of the
spectrum near visible light for the
transmission of signals representing speech,
pictures, data pulses, or other information,
usually in the form of a laser beam
modulated by the information signal.
SATE%%"TE
CO&&#"CAT"O
DEFINITION:-

Communications using an active or passive
satellite to extend the range of )a*io,
television, or other electronic transmission
by returning signals to earth from an
orbiting satellite.
"TROD#CT"O

Satellites are specifcally made for telecommunication

purpose. They are used for mobile applications such
as communication to ships, vehicles, planes, hand-
held terminals and for T and radio broadcasting.

The power and bandwidth of these satellites depend

upon the preferred si!e of the footprint, complexity of
the tra"c control protocol schemes and the cost of
ground stations.

# satellite wor$s most e"ciently when the

transmissions are focused with a desired area.

Satellites should be designed by $eeping in mind its

usability for short and long term e%ects throughout
its life time.

The earth station should be in a position to control the

satellite
"TROD#CT"O
BAS"CS

Satellites orbit around the earth. &epending on the

application, these orbits can be circular or elliptical.

Satellites in circular orbits always $eep the same

distance to the earth's surface following a simple
law(

The attractive force )g of the earth due to gravity

e*uals m+g ,-.r/ 0

The centrifugal force )c trying to pull the satellite

away e*uals m+r+10

The variables have the following meaning(

m is the mass of the satellite2

- is the radius of earth with - 3 4,567 $m2

ri s the distance of the satellite to the centre of the

earth2

g is the acceleration of gravity with g 3 8.9: m.s02

1 is the angular velocity with 1 3 0+;+f,

f is the fre*uency of the rotation.

To $eep the satellite in a stable circular orbit, the

following e*uation must hold( )g 3 )c, i.e., both forces
must be e*ual.

The distance r 3 ,g+-0.,0+;+f/0/:.5

BAS"CS
satellite(
communications
"nclination an* ele+ation
an,les

The inclination angle < ,fgure :.:/ is defned

between the e*uatorial plane and the plane
described by the satellite orbit.

#n inclination angle of 7 degrees means that the

satellite is exactly above the e*uator.

=f the satellite does not have a circular orbit, the

closest point to the earth is called the perigee.
$i,u)e 1-1'
An,le o.
"nclination

The elevation angle > ,fgure :.0/ is defned between

the centre of the satellite beam and the plane
tangential to the earth's surface.

# so called footprint can be defned as the area on

earth where the signals of the satellite can be
received.
$i,u)e 1-/'
An,le o.
Ele+ation
An,le o. Ele+ation
#??@=C#T=OAS O)
S#TB@@=TBS
:/ Ceather )orecasting
0/ -adio and T Droadcast
5/ Eilitary Satellites
F/ Aavigation Satellites
G/ Hlobal Telephone
4/ Connecting -emote #reas
6/ Hlobal Eobile Communication
APP%"CAT"OS O$ SATE%%"TES
ne+i,ation app
E0"!AT"O SATE%%"TE
$RE1#ECY A%%OCAT"O $OR
SATE%%"TE
Fixed satellite service: Provides Links for existing
Telephone Networks Used for transmitting television signals to
cable companies
Broadcasting satellite service: Provides Direct
Broadcast to homes. E.g. Live ricket matches etc
Mobile satellite services: This incl!des services for"
Land #obile #aritime #obile $erona!tical mobile
Navigational satellite services : %ncl!de &lobal
Positioning s'stems .
Meteorological satellite services" The' are often
!sed to perform (earch and )esc!e service .
$RE1#ECY A%%OCAT"O $OR
SATE%%"TE
TYPES OF SATEITES !BASED ON O"BITS#
$# %eostationar& or geos&nc'rono(s eart' orbit !%EO#
"*These satellites are placed in the space in s!ch a wa' that onl'
three satellites are s!fficient to provide connection thro!gho!t the
s!rface of the Earth.
)# o* Eart' Orbit !EO# satellites:-
+i,%EO s2stems try to ensure a high elevation for every
spot on earth to provide a high *uality communication
lin$.
,ii/ These satellites are placed G77-:G77 $ms above the
surface of the earth.
3) &e*ium Ea)t4 O)5it (&EO) satellites'(
,i/ EBOs can be positioned somewhere between @BOs
and HBOs
,ii/ Ises orbits around :7,777 $m.
TYPES OF SATEITES !BASED ON O"BITS#
3) &e*ium Ea)t4 O)5it (&EO) satellites'(
+iii, These satellites move more slowl' relative to the earth s '
rotation.
+# Sun( S2nc4)onous O)5its satellites
'(These satellites rise and set with the s!n.
,# Ho4mann T)ans.e) O)5it
(-This is an intermediate orbit having a highly elliptical
shape.
-# Prograde orbit
"*This orbit is with an inclination of less than 87J.
.# "etrograde orbit
"*This orbit is with an inclination of more than -./.
/# Polar Orbits
"*These orbits are highl' inclined in shape.
TYPES OF
SATEITES
satellite(communications
&"%"TARY SATE%%"TE
6HEATHER
SATE%%"TE
%"K DES"!
1)6a+e len,t4 an* pola)i7ation'(
)
The transmit and receive beams inside the
terminal are arranged to have orthogonal linear
polari!ation and are separated in wave length.
)
This enables the same telescope and pointing
system to be used for both transmit and receive
beams since the optical duplex scheme can
then be used.
)
Circular polari!ation is used over the lin$ so
that the received power does not depend upon
the orientation of the satellite.
/) %in8 5u*,ets .o) an as2mmet)ic
lin8'(

The re*uirement to transmit a much higher

data rate on the return lin$ than on the forward
lin$ implies that the minimum confguration is
one with a large telescope diameter at HBO
i.e. maximi!e the light collection capabilities
and a smaller diameter telescope at @eo.

# smaller telescope at @BO has the

disadvantages of reduced light collection hut
the advantage of reduced pointing loss due to
wider beam width.
3)Pointin,9 Ac:uisition an*
T)ac8in,'(
(i) Pointin,'(
()
This is turn depends on
,:/#ccuracy to which one satellite $nows the
location of the other
,0/#ccuracy to which it $nows its own attitude
and
,5/#ccuracy to which it can aim its beam $nowing
the re*uired direction.
,ii/ Ac:uisition'(
()
This enables the user terminal to loc$ on to
the beacon and transmit its communication
beam bac$ along the same path.
(iii)T)ac8in,

#fter successful ac*uisition, the @BO and HBO

terminals are operating in trac$ing mode in
this mode the on-board disturbances which
introduce pointing ftter into the
communication beam are alternated by means
f a fne pointing control loop ,)?@/ to enable
acceptable communications to be obtained.

Point a4ea*'(
This is needed because of the relative orbital
motion between the satellites which calls for the
transmitted beam to be aimed at a point in space
where the receiving terminal will be at the time of
arrival of the beam.
T4e 5loc8 *ia,)am .o) a ,ene)ic *i)ect
*etection optical te)minal is s4o;n-
OPT"CA% ATEA

The optical antenna comprises the telescope

and coarse pointing assembly. The telescope is
a refractive $eplerian design which does not
have the secondary mirror absorption loss
associated with reKective systems. The C?#
uses stepping motors together with a
conventional spur gear and planetary gear. The
total height of the optical antenna is a maLor
contributor to the height of the C?# above the
platform which a%ects @BO and HBO lin$
absorption by solar arrays, antennas and other
space craft appendages.
"TE!RATED TRAS&"TTER
T4e inte,)ate* t)ansmitte) is s4o;n sc4ematicall2 5elo;-
"TE!RATED TRAS&"TTER

This consists of a prime/redundant pair of laser

modules, a redundancy switch, and a point ahead
assembly (PAA).

The lasers are connected to the PM by a single mode

polarization. This allows grater layout e!ibility on the
optical bench and simpli"es redundancy switching.

#ach laser module contains a laser diode, collimating

lenses, cylindrical le and focusing lance for coupling
light into the "ber. $oupling e%ciency into the "ber is
e!pected to e!ceed &'(.
$"E PO"T"! %OOP

The fne pointing loop ,)?@/ is re*uired to

attenuate external pointing disturbances so
that the residual mispoint angle is a small
fraction of the optical beam width.

The closed loop trac$ing subsystem consists of

a trac$ing sensor which determines the
direction of the incoming communications
beam with an angular resolution around GM of
the optical beam width and a fne pointing
mirror assembly ,)?#/ which compensates
beam mispointing e%ects.
OPT"CA% BECH

The diplexer, *uarter wave plate and other lens system

re*uired too ac*uisition and trac$ing are all placed in
the optical bench.

The diplexer has a dielectric multilayer coating which

provides e"cient transmission of one type polari!ed
light at the transmit wavelength ,9F9 nm/ and reLects
another type polari!ed light at the receive wavelength
,977 nm/.

# *uarter wave plate ,NC?/ converts the transmit light

to circular polari!ation state prior to the telescope. The
?##, lasers, and redundancy switching mechanisms are
on one side while the diplexer, receive paths and
calibration path are on the other side of the optical
bench.
STR#CT#RA% CO$"!#RAT"O

The SOIT has a novel structural and thermal design which

satisfes the uni*ue demands imposed by the various sub-
systems.

The main structural elements are a truss frame assembly

which supports the optical antenna orthogonal to the optical
bench, a triangular plate which forms the lower truss support
and carries the soft mounts, optical bench and electronic units.

Oey design drivers for the structure are the optical bench
pointing stability, soft mount constrains and base-bending
moments associated with the telescope C?#. There has to be a
high degree of Co-alignment between the transmit and receive
beam paths on the optical bench in order that the transmit
beam can be pointed towards the HBO terminal with an
acceptably small pointing loss.

The height of the terminal above the space craft depends upon
the mounting interface2 options include mounting through a
hole in the side wail of the space craft ,Suitable for large
platforms/, external mounting on a support frame, and
mounting on a deployment mechanism. The head unit
occupies an area of about F7 by F7cm depending upon the
platform interface.
AD0ATA!ES

Optical technology o%ers a number of potential

advantages over microwave.

The antenna can be much smaller. # typical microwave

dish is around : to 0m across and re*uires deployment
in the orbit, #n optical antenna ,le a telescope/
occupies much less space craft real estate having a
diameter in the range of G to 57 cm and is therefore
easier to accommodate and deploy.

Optical beam widths are much less than for

microwaves, leading to very high antenna gains on
both transmit and receive. This enables low transmitter
,ie laser/ powers to be used leading to a low mass, low
power terminal.

=t also ma$es the optical beam hard to intersect on fan

leading to convert features for military applications,
conse*uently there is a maLor e%ort under way in
Burope, IS# and Papan to design and Kight *uality
optical terminals
COC%#S"O
Optical satellite communications
promises to become an important element
in future space infrastructure and
considerable development e%ort is
currently underway in Burope and
elsewhere.
THAK YO#