ECE 5233 - Lecture 1 (Introduction)

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
technologies
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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
technologies
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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

technologies
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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

technologies
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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
technologies
Satellite on the move

Page 6
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
technologies
Page 9
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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Page 10
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
technologies
Page 12

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ECE 5233 Satellite Communications

Satellite communication system

1. Data center of the sat-com provider

Functional block diagram of an earth station

Payload used in communication

Platform facilitates operation of payload

Electronics for communication

Two types of satellites

Bent pipes (transparent)

Regenerative (base band processing)

Basics of bent pipe architecture

Smallest assignable recourse

Satellite usually hosts multiple transponders

Satellite usually operates in single band (although

Transmit antenna may be

Single beam one area of the Earth

Multi beam multiple areas of the Earth

Satellite with onboard processing

End user segment

User equipment may

o Integrate with user stations

Globstar satellite phones

Example: Satellite phone

Heavily dependent on the end application

Marine satellite antennas

Satellite on the move

Types of satellite orbits

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

o Geosynchronous orbit (GSO)

Satellite speed ~ 3km/sec

Non zero inclination

Orbital period 24 hours

o Geostationary orbit (GEO)

GSO satellite in zero inclination orbit

PTP or PTMP delivery of signal across the

Mobile satellite services (MSS)

Delivery of satellite signal to mobile platforms

Broadcast satellite services (BSS)

Broadcast of satellite signal (TV, radio)

Navigation satellite services (NAV)

Frequency bands used for sat-comm

Uplink ground to satellite

Downlink satellite to ground

Each link uses its own band

Majority of existing systems operate in C and Ku

Frequency chart for communication

More available spectrum

Better antenna directivity

Higher propagation losses

More sophisticated technology

Non-interference condition between different

Fairness between nations in access to the