International University-VNU-HCM 2023

LECTURE 1
Overview of Satellite Systems

Review Questions
1. List the various applications of satellite
Some of the satellite applications are Intercontinental telephone, data, and video; Photo
Reconnaissance; Scientific research; Network TV distribution; Private multipoint data networking;
Strategic military communications; Signals intelligence; Mobile satellite services; Satellite radiolocation;
Direct Broadcast Satellite; Handheld voice/data communications; Internet backbone services; etc.
2. Why is there a need for satellite communication?
Satellite communication offers global coverage powerfully and efficiently, which solves the
coverage problem of old communication technologies such as ground wave and sky wave propagation.
Additionally, it also provides an ability to link a large number of users on the surface of the earth
simultaneously.
3. List and discuss the various orbits defined for satellite communication
There are 3 most common types of orbits for satellite communication: geosynchronous Earth
orbits (GEO), medium Earth orbits (MEO), and low Earth orbits (LEO)

GEO MEO LEO

Altitude ~ 35,786 km From 2,000 km to From 160 to 2,000

just below 35,786 km
km

S/N ratio lowest better better

Coverage area largest (worldwide) decent smallest (can improve

with constellations)

Orbital period 23h56m4s (Earth’s ~2 to 12 hours ~90 to 120 minutes

rotation)

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4. Write a note on various satellite services available.

Some of the provided satellite services are:
- Fixed satellite service (FSS): provides links for existing telephone networks as well as for
transmitting television signals to cable companies for distribution over cable systems.
- Broadcasting satellite service (BSS): are intended mainly for direct broadcast to the home,
sometimes referred to as direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service [direct-to-home (DTH) service]
- Mobile satellite services: include land mobile, maritime mobile, and aeronautical mobile
- Navigational satellite services: include global positioning systems (GPS)
- Meteorological satellite services: provides a search and rescue service
5. What are the primary factors needed for defining an orbit of a satellite?
In order to define a satellite's orbit, the height of the satellite, eccentricity, and inclination of the
satellite's revolution are the primary factors that need to be accounted for. The height determines the
attitude of the satellite, while eccentricity and inclination affect the orbit’s shape and the relation with the
Earth’s equator.

Textbook Questions
1.1. Describe briefly the main advantages offered by satellite communications. Explain what is meant
by a distance-insensitive communications system.
Main advantages of satellite communications:
- Large coverage over a geographical area enables simultaneous worldwide communication of
many users and also remote communities in sparsely populated areas.
- The satellite communications system is economical (only where the system is in continuous use
and the costs can be reasonably spread over a large number of users) since satellite cost is
independent of the distance.
- Security in satellite transmission is usually provided by the coding and decoding equipment
Distance-insensitive communications system means it costs about the same to provide a satellite
communications link over a short distance as it does over a large distance.

1.2. Comparisons are sometimes made between satellite and optical fiber communications systems.
State briefly the areas of application for which you feel each system is best suited.

Satellite communications Optical communications

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Telecommunication (Network TV distribution, Telecommunication (Landline phones, Cable TV

Internet backbone services, Mobile satellite networks, Gigabit LANs, etc.)
services, etc.) Medical industry (Surgical lasers, endoscope
Scientific research (Remote sensing, etc.) lasers, microscope lasers, and biomedical lasers)
Defense (Photo Reconnaissance) Defense (acoustic sensing, chemical sensing, and
Satellite radiolocation laser systems)

1.3. Describe briefly the development of INTELSAT starting from the 1960s through the present.
Information can be found at Web site http://www.intelsat.com/.
In 1964, the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization, or Intelsat, is created to
own and manage a constellation of communications satellites providing international broadcast services.
One year after that, Intelsat launched Intelsat I - the world’s first commercial communications satellite,
and later on, transmitted the First Live Global TV Broadcast. Intelsat also transmitted television images of
the groundbreaking event of the Apollo 11 moon landing around the world in 1969. On April 12, 1989,
Intelsat delivered the first international digital HD transmission between the U.S. and Japan.
Fast forward to the 2000s, Intelsat became the host of Sydney Olympics Broadcast, and
broadcasted the world’s largest high-definition music event in history, Live Earth. It became a private
company – Intelsat, Ltd, and merged with PanAmSat Holding Corporation. In 2016, the company
successfully launched First Intelsat Epic Satellite and completed First Dual-Satellite Launch. They also
provided live 8K video transmissions in Brazil for the 2018 World Cup. From 2019 until nowadays,
Intelsat has joined GSM; provided a $50M Senior Secured Loan to BlackSk; pioneered First Mission
Extension Vehicle Technology with Northrop Grumman; acquired Gogo Commercial Aviation; formed a
Historic Partnership to Bring Multi-Orbit Connectivity with OneWeb; and further advanced Space
Sustainability with Mission Extension Pod.

1.5. From Table 1.3, and by accessing the Intelsat web site, determine which satellites provide service to
each of the regions AOR, IOR, and POR.

Atlantic Ocean Region (AOR) Indian Ocean Region (IOR) Pacific Ocean Region (POR)

Intelsat 901, Intelsat 902, Intelsat 906, Intelsat 39, Intelsat Intelsat 1R, Intelsat 10, Intelsat
Intelsat 903, Intelsat 904, 33e, etc. 18, Horizons 3e, etc.
Intelsat 905, Galaxy 14, etc.

1.9. An earth station is situated at longitude 91°W and latitude 45°N. Determine the range to the
Galaxy VII satellite. A spherical earth of uniform mass and mean radius 6371 km may be assumed.
Earth radius: 𝑅 = 6371𝑘𝑚 , Altitude: ℎ = 36000𝑘𝑚 (GEO),

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𝑜
Θ = 45 (𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑠 = 91°𝑊, 𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑠 = 45°𝑁, 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑠𝑎𝑡 = 45°𝑊, 𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑠𝑎𝑡 = 0°)

2 2
The range to the Galaxy VII satellite: 𝑑 = 𝑅 + (𝑅 + ℎ) − 2𝑅(𝑅 + ℎ)𝑐𝑜𝑠Θ
2 2 𝑜
= (6371𝑘𝑚) + (6371𝑘𝑚 + 36000𝑘𝑚) − 2 · 6371𝑘𝑚(6371𝑘𝑚 + 36000𝑘𝑚)𝑐𝑜𝑠45
≈ 38133. 063 𝑘𝑚

1.11. Explain what is meant by a polar-orbiting satellite. A NOAA polar orbiting satellite completes one
revolution around the earth in 102 min. The satellite makes a north-to-south equatorial crossing at
longitude 90°W. Assuming that the orbit is circular and crosses exactly over the poles, estimate the
position of the subsatellite point at the following times after the equatorial crossing: (a) 0 h, 10 min; (b)
1 h, 42 min; (c) 2 h, 0 min. A spherical earth of uniform mass may be assumed.
- Polar-orbiting satellites orbit the earth in such a way as to cover the north and south polar regions.
The NOAA polar orbiting satellite orbits a revolution around the earth in 102 minutes means it crosses
25. 5° longitude and 360° latitude.
25.5° × 10 𝑚𝑖𝑛 360° × 10 𝑚𝑖𝑛
a) Shift in longitude: 102 𝑚𝑖𝑛
= 2. 5°, Shift in latitudee: 102 𝑚𝑖𝑛
= 35. 29°

New longitude: 90°𝑊 + 2. 5° = 92. 5°𝑊, New latitude: 0° + 35. 29° = 92. 5°𝑆 (N to S)
25.5° × 102 𝑚𝑖𝑛 360° × 102 𝑚𝑖𝑛
b) Shift in longitude: 102 𝑚𝑖𝑛
= 25. 5°, Shift in latitudee: 102 𝑚𝑖𝑛
= 360° = 0°

New longitude: 90°𝑊 + 25. 5° = 115. 5°𝑊, New latitude: 0° + 0° = 0° (1 revolution)

25.5° × 120 𝑚𝑖𝑛 360° × 120 𝑚𝑖𝑛
c) Shift in longitude: 102 𝑚𝑖𝑛
= 30°, Shift in latitudee: 102 𝑚𝑖𝑛
− 360° = 63. 53°

New longitude: 90°𝑊 + 30° = 120°𝑊, New latitude: 0° + 63. 53° = 63. 53°𝑆

1.14. Using information obtained from the Cospas-Sarsat Web site, find out which satellites carry (a)
406-MHz SAR processors (SARPs), (b) 406-MHz SAR repeaters (SARRs), and (c) 121.5-MHz SARRs.
What is the basic difference between a SARP and a SARR?

406-MHz SAR processors 406-MHz SAR repeaters 121.5-MHz SARRs

(SARPs) (SARRs)

LEOSAR satellites GEOSAR satellites

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The 406-MHz Search and Rescue Processor (SARP) satellite channel transmits received 406-MHz beacon
data that has already been partially processed by the satellite to determine the identification, transmit time,
and received frequency for each distress beacon transmission burst. Because of the on-board memory
capability of the SARP channel, this channel provides global (yet not continuous) coverage for distress
beacons that operate at 406 MHz.

The 406-MHz Search and Rescue Repeater (SARR) channel receives 406-MHz beacon transmission
bursts and immediately retransmits them on the satellite downlink. Since there is no memory associated
with the repeater channel, this type of processing supports only local mode coverage (i.e., the distress
beacon and the LEOLUT must be in simultaneous view of the satellite for a period of time). Furthermore,
since the satellite does not process the data, all the processing is performed by the LEOLUT.

1.16. A satellite is in a circular polar orbit at a height of 870 km, the orbital period being approximately
102 min. Assuming an average value of earth’s radius of 6371 km determine approximately the
maximum period the satellite is visible from a beacon at sea level.

Visible angle: 2α = 2 × 𝐶𝑜𝑠 (

−1 𝑅𝐸𝑎𝑟𝑡ℎ
𝑅𝐸𝑎𝑟𝑡ℎ+ℎ ) −1
= 2 × 𝐶𝑜𝑠 ( 6371 𝑘𝑚
6371 𝑘𝑚 + 870 𝑘𝑚 ) ≈ 56. 751°
Maximum period the satellite is visible from a beacon at sea level:
2α × 𝑇 56.751° × 102 𝑚𝑖𝑛
𝑡= 360°
= 360°
≈ 16. 079 𝑚𝑖𝑛

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