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Satellite Communication Fundamentals

History of International Communication


1850 1901 1926 1945 1945 1956

- Submarine Telephone cable (UK & France) Transoceanic Long Wave Communication (Europe & America) Short wave communication (UK & Europe) Microwave Transmission System (Europe & America) Geo stationery Satellite concept by Arthur C Clarke Co-axial multi channel submarine cable (UK & USA)

1957 First man made satellite Sputnik by USSR 1964 Formation of Intelsat Organization (UK, USA, Australia, Japan, Germany, Italy & France) 1965 First Communication Satellite (Intelsat - 1)

Satellites
Arthur

C. Clarkes vision:

3 Geostationary satellites illuminate the Earth Satellite 3


17.4

Illumination Lines

Satellite 1

Satellite 2

Satellites
Three

Basic Orbits
Inclined Orbit Polar Orbit

Equator

Equatorial Orbit

Satellites
What

does Geostationary mean?

Geo = Earth, Stationary = Not Moving Satellite is a Fixed Point in the Sky
Rotation

of the Satellite = Rotation of the Earth (~24 Hrs/Rot) Equatorial Plane (only possible orbit) 35,786 km above the Earths surface (only possible distance)

Satellites
Geostationary

Orbits
box
Variation due to Orbital Ellipticity Latitudinal Variation +0.1 Station-keeping Box

Satellite needs to stay within designated area:


Station-keeping

Equatorial Plane Nominal Satellite Location

km 65 ,1 42

Longitudinal Drift +0.1

Communications Satellites
What

is a Communications Satellite?

A Radio Relay in the Sky


Receives,

amplifies and re-directs analog and digital signals carried within a carrier frequency
Transmit Antenna

Transponder (incl. Switching Matrix)

3-Axis Stabilized Receive Antenna Spinner

Communications Satellites
What

are the Satellite Components?


Antenna Payload Communication Spacecraft Control/Propulsion

Main subsystems:

Electrical Power

Communication Satellite
Centrifugal Force Satellite (m) At equilibration

mV2/R

mV2/R=GmM/R2
Since

V=R
Gravitational Force R=(GM)1/3/ 2/3 Resolving R=42,000 km Earth (M) From Surface of Earth R=42,000km-6,378km=35,786km

GmM/R2

Satellite Stabilization Spin Stabilization Three Axis Stabilization


Spin Stabilization For (cylindrical shape)
rotation
satellite

wheel motor

Motor applies torque to wheel (red)

Reaction torque on motor (green) causes satellite to rotate

Three Axis Stabilization (For cubical shape)


Geostationary

Orbits (especially 3-Axis Stabilized S/C)


Station-keeping for East-West & NorthSouth drift
Yaw

S Local Vertical

Orbital Path (South - North Drift) Roll

Pitch (East-West Drift)

Satellite Position

Communications Satellites
What

identifies a S/C?

Each satellite is defined by its Sub Satellite Point (SSP)

Longitude (Long=342 for IS-705)

N
Latitude (Lat=0 for all Intelsat Satellites)

Sub Satellite Point

Satellite Architecture

Communications data passes through a satellite using a signal path known as a Transponder. Typically satellites have between 24 and 72 transponders. A single transponder is capable of handling up to 155 million bits of information per second. Simple voice or data to the most complex and bandwidth-intensive video, audio and Internet content.

Radio frequency bands


Band UHF L S C X Ku K Ka Frequency/(GHz) 0.3 1.0 1.0 1.5 1.5 3.9 3.9 8.0 8.0 12.5 12.5 18.0 18.0 26.5 26.5 40.0

Communications Satellites
Why

do we use satellites?

Global reach Distance insensitive Mobility and flexibility Rapid deployment of ground equipment / ease of expansion Bundling of applications

Communications Satellites
Where

are the satellites located?


IOR/APR, POR
Atlantic Ocean Region Pacific Ocean Region

Three Orbital Regions


AOR,

Indian/APR Ocean Region

33E 60E 62E

64E 66E 83E

85E 110.5 E 157 E

304.5E 307E 310E 325.5E

328.5E 330.5E 332.5E 335.5E

340E 174E 342E 176E 359E

178E 180E

Co-located S/C

Communications Satellites
How

is simultaneous operation of satellites possible?


Spacing (2-degree, 3-degree) Coverage (different footprints) Frequency (C-band, Ku-band, Ka-band )

How

close can simultaneous satellites operate?


typically at 0.2 (~ 120 km)

At different frequency bands:


Co-location:

Communications Satellites
Spacing

Why is the satellite spacing important?


Pointing

error (E/S mispointing) System margins (small error => BIG mistake)

S/C 1

Distance between 2-degree Satellites: ~ 1200 km

S/C 2
2 3 Distance between 3-degree Satellites: ~ 1900 km

S/C 3

E/S

Communications Satellites
Spacing

Why is the satellite spacing important? (Continued)


Antenna

size (radiation pattern)

Small E/S (wide beam, low gain) Large E/S (narrow beam, high gain)

Antenna Peak Gain

What to keep in mind?


Interference

margins (ASI)
Small E/S Large E/S

Communications Satellites
Satellite

Spacing:
UNDESIRED SATELLITE SPACING

Desired and un-desired


DESIRED SATELLITE SPACING

WANTED SIGNALS SATELLITE ANTENNA UNWANTED SIGNALS

RADIO LINK

Communications Satellites
What

is a Footprint?
Composite Plot/IBN

1-dB Contour Plot

Composite Plot / Satellite Guide

Communications Satellites
How

to visualize a footprint?
Like Mountains Profile:

Antenna Radiation Pattern: Cartesian Representation

Full Gain Grid - 1 dB steps

Satellite Communication
How

can so many beams co-exist?


72 MHz and 36 MHz transponders
Frequency Slots: 1-2 to 9 Hemi

Frequency isolation
Multiple

10 to 12

Global

Zone

Satellite Communication
Why

C- and Ku-band?

ITU-assigned frequency band: 1 - 30 GHz Low rain degradation Low sky noise
1000

Sky Temperature (Degrees Kelvin)

Galactic Background

Oxygen Resonance 60 GHz

100

Microwave Window

Water Vapor Resonance 22 GHz

(Ka-Band)

10

Sky Temp (Total)

Atmosphere Absorption

0.5

5 Frequency GHz

10

50

C-Band

Ku-Band

Satellite Communication
What

is Polarization?

Linear (vertical / horizontal)


All

Intelsat Ku-band C-band on IS-805@304.5E, APR-1@83E and APR2@110.5E


=> When used Simultaneously: Double the Bandwidth

Circular (left-hand / right-hand)


C-band

on most Intelsat satellites

=> When used Simultaneously: Double the Bandwidth

Linear Polarization
Horizontal Polarization

Vertical Polarization

Circular Polarization

Communications Satellites
Why

do we need solar panels?

Convert sunlight into electric power


Primary

power supply Only 10% - 14% of sunlight can be converted

Charge satellite battery system


Ceases

during eclipse

Communications Satellites
What

is the impact of an eclipse?


No solar power Error in earth sensor Service outages

Spring

Eclipse: 21 March
Max. Outage = 70 min. + preceding & following days
Summer

Autumn

Eclipse: 23 September
Max. Outage = 70 min. + preceding & following days
Winter

Satellite Communication
What

is the Communication Subsystem?

Transponder satellite bandwidth Receiver satellite antenna (G/T) Amplifier TWTA/SSPA (wattage) Switching matrix connectivity Transmitter transmit power (D/L e.i.r.p.)
Full Transponder Layout:

Satellite Communication
Some
8

typical carriers

Voice:
kb/s 16 kb/s 64 kb/s

Data:
64

kb/s up to 155 Mb/s

Video:
2

Mb/s 8 Mb/s

Satellite Communication
What

to keep in mind?

Time delay
One-way

delay: location dependant Sub-satellite point: 119.3 ms Horizon: 138.9 ms Path length: Location dependant (elevation angle)
Sub-satellite

point: 71,572 km Horizon: 83,360 km

Horizon

Dependant on actual elevation angle


C-band:

~200 dB Ku-band: ~206 dB

SSP

Earth Station Technology

Earth Station Equipment For Data


TRANSMIT PATH RECEIVE PATH

HPA

HPA

LNA

LNA

RF COMB
U/C IF COMB MOD

RF COMB
U/C IF COMB MOD LHCP

RF DIV
D/C IF DIV DEMOD RHCP

RF DIV
D/C IF DIV DEMOD LHCP

RHCP

Earth Station Equipment For TV


TRANSMIT PATH RECEIVE PATH

HPA

HPA

LNB

LNB

RF COMB
U/C IF COMB
ENCODER

RF COMB
U/C IF COMB
ENCODER

RF DIV
D/C IF DIV
DECODER

RF DIV
D/C IF DIV
DECODER

RHCP

LHCP

RHCP

LHCP

Typical Parameters for Earth Station Antennas: C Band


Intelsat Standard
A B

G/T (dB/K)

Antenna Diameter (typical)


18 - 21 m 11 - 13 m

35 (35 + 20 Log f/4) 31.7

F3
F2 F1 H

29
27 22.7 22.1 for H4 18.3 for H3 15.1 for H2

9 10 m
6.5 7.3 m 3.7 4 m 3.7 m 2.4 m 1.8 m

Typical Parameters for Earth Station Antennas: Ku Band


Intelsat Standar d C E3 E2 E1 K3 K2 G/T (dB/deg K) Antenna Diameter (typical) 11 m 7-8m 3.7 4.5 m 2.4 - 3.7 m 1.8 m 1.2 1.5 m

37 34 29 25 23.3 19.8

Earth Station Antenna Configurations


Common

Antenna Feed Systems


FEEDER PHOTO REQUIRED
HYPERBOLOID

FOCAL FEED PARABOLOID CASSEGRAIN FEED SYSTEM

ELLIPSOID

PARAXIAL FOCUS

GREGORIAN FEED SYSTEM

SPHERICAL REFLECTOR

Prime Focus & Cassegrain Antenna Optics

Antenna Radiation Pattern (1)

Satellite Communication
Transmission

via satellite

Modulation (change of properties of an electrical signal) Coding (change an analog signal to a digital signal) Multiplexing (combine several signals) Up/Down converter (change of frequency) Amplifier (enhance signal strength) Multiple access techniques (procedure to access the satellite)

Types of Propulsion
Chemical Propulsion Performance is energy limited Propellant Selection Electric Propulsion ElectrostaticIon Engine Electro thermalArc Jet ElectromagneticRail gun Solar Sails Would use large (1 sq. km.) reflective sail (made of thin plastic) Light pushes on the sail to provide necessary force to change orbit. Still on the drawing board, but technologically possible! Nuclear Thermal

Launching
Geo stationary orbit

Parking orbit Va

Earth Vp Transfer orbit

Launching
N

Orbital velocity

Equator
W

Geo St. velocity


Velocity accelerated by Apogee motor

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