ECE 5233 Satellite Communications

Prepared by:
Dr. Ivica Kostanic
Lecture 1: Introduction to Satellite Systems
(Sections 1.1-1.4)

Spring 2014
Florida Institute of
technologies

Outline

Class overview
Configuration of a satellite systems
Elements of a satellite system
Types of satellite systems
Brief history of satellite communication

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Satellite communication system

Satellite system consists of
o Earth segment (traffic and control)
o Space segment

Earth segment
o Service provider hub (ground)
o User terminals

Space segment
o Satellite (s)
o Communication links to and from
satellites

1. Data center of the sat-com provider

2. Central hub (receives data stream and sends it toward satellite)
3. Satellite (receives data stream, amplifies and sends it back towards ground)
4. End user antenna critical part (small size, high performance)
5. Modem receives data stream
6. User end network usually IP network
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Ground segment
Consists of earth stations
Satellite network may have one or more earth stations
Earth station may be transmit-receive or receive only
Earth stations are connected to terrestrial networks (PSTN
for CS traffic or Internet for PS)
Usually have very large antennas (up to 30m in diameter)
Earth stations have high quality and redundant links to
terrestrial networks

Example of a Ku band
earth station antenna

Functional block diagram of an earth station

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Space segment
Satellite consist of
o

Payload used in communication

Platform facilitates operation of payload

Payload
o

Receive antenna

Electronics for communication

Transmit antenna

Two types of satellites

o

Bent pipes (transparent)

Regenerative (base band processing)

Basics of bent pipe architecture

Smallest assignable recourse

o

Satellite transponder

Satellite usually hosts multiple transponders

Satellite usually operates in single band (although

there are some multiband satellites)

Transmit antenna may be

o

Single beam one area of the Earth

Multi beam multiple areas of the Earth

Satellite with onboard processing

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End user segment

User stations
o Mobile stations (mobile terminals)
o VSAT terminals
o Gateways (connect space segment to
terrestrial networks)

User equipment may

o Connect to user stations

Example: Satellite TV

o Integrate with user stations

Globstar satellite phones

Example: Satellite phone

Heavily dependent on the end application

Marine satellite antennas

Satellite TV equipment
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Satellite on the move

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Types of satellite orbits

Constellation of
Globstar system

Orbit height
o Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

Attitude 160-2,000km

Satellite speed ~ 8km/sec

Orbital period ~ 90 min

Example: Globstar, 48 satellites in six planes, 1413km

o Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)

Altitude 2,000km -35,786km

Satellite speed 8km/sec to 3 km/sec

Orbital period 2 to 24h

Example: GPS, 24 satellites in 6 planes, 20,200km

Constellation of
GPS system

o Geosynchronous orbit (GSO)

Altitude 35,768km

Satellite speed ~ 3km/sec

Non zero inclination

Orbital period 24 hours

o Geostationary orbit (GEO)

GSO satellite in zero inclination orbit

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Satellite services
Fixed satellite services (FSS)
o

PTP or PTMP delivery of signal across the

Globe

Mobile satellite services (MSS)

o

Delivery of satellite signal to mobile platforms

(either terrestrial, marine or aeronautical)

Broadcast satellite services (BSS)

o

Broadcast of satellite signal (TV, radio)

Navigation satellite services (NAV)

Earth exploration services (ESS)
Space research services (SRS)
Space operations services (SOS)
Radio determination satellite services
(RSS)
Inter-satellite services (ISS)

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Frequency bands used for sat-comm

Satellites operate in microwave frequency range
Two links
o

Uplink ground to satellite

Downlink satellite to ground

Each link uses its own band

Uplink operates on higher frequency
Microwave frequency bands
o

L band:

1-2GHz

S band:

2-4GHz

C band:

4-8GHz

X band:

8-12GHz

Ku band:

12-18GHz

K band:

18-26.5GHz

Ka band:

26.5-40GHz

Majority of existing systems operate in C and Ku

Higher frequencies

Frequency chart for communication

satellite services

More available spectrum

Better antenna directivity

Higher propagation losses

More sophisticated technology

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Frequency management
Responsibility of International
Telecommunication Union ITU
Insures:
o

Non-interference condition between different

satellite systems

Fairness between nations in access to the

satellite frequencies

Frequency allocation may be

o

exclusive for given service

shared between services

ITU Regions

Service provisioning usually requires

consent of all countries within coverage
area of the satellite
Frequency is usually allocated in pairs
o

One frequency for UL

One frequency for DL

UL frequency is higher

Example: VIASAT license in

Ka band as of 2010
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Beginnings of satellite communication

Origins: Arthur Clarkes article in Wireless World in 1945
WW-II stimulated development of two key technologies
o

Microwave communication

Missile technology

First satellite launched in 1957 by USSR

o

Sputnik, 83.6kg, LEO, atmospheric studies

Mission duration 3 months

First commercial communication satellite 1967

o

Intelsat I - EarlyBird, 34.5kg, GEO, communication satellite

Coverage between US and Europe

Operated 4 years (deactivated in 1969)

Launched from KSC

Could handle 240 voice and 1 TV channel

Owned by Intelsat (52 countries)

Sputnik 1

Intelsat- EarlyBird
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Development of satellite communication

Imagination (1945-1960)
o

Early days of extensive scientific research

Dreaming of what is possible

Privatization and private ventures (1990 on)

Innovation (1960-1970)
o

Establishment of governmental space exploration

agencies and international satellite consortia

Development of communication and rocket technology

First launches

Communication satellites become mainstream technology led

by private business

Leading applications: broadcast TV, data backhaul, mobile

communications in the air and on the sea, navigation, etc.

Future integration of satellite technology with Internet

Commercialization (1970-1980)
o

Satellite communication becomes commercial technology

Applications: cross continental telephony and satellite TV

Liberalization (1980-1990)
o

Transformation of international governmental consortia

Market led approach allowed private investments

Regulatory framework changes that allowed all of the

transformations to take place

Satellite applications
(values in B$)

History channel documentary: Satellites how they work

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYUxkSFCKZQ
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