EEG 470

Satellite Communications

Dr. Mohab A. Mangoud

Associate Professor in Wireless Communications
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
College of Engineering, University of Bahrain
P.O. Box 32038, Isa Town,Kingdom of Bahrain
Office: 14-224
Email : [email protected]
 Course Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 What do satellites do? (Types of satellites, The satellite market)
1.2 Different orbits for different missions.
1.3 Advantages and disadvantages of satellite communications.
1.4 Frequency Allocations for satellite services Satellite frequencies
(L, S, C, X, ku, ka, examples)
2. Orbit control and Launching Methods
2.1 Launch Vehicles and services (How are satellites placed into orbit)
2.2 Keppler law, coverage area, Doppler effect
2.3 Tracking, telemetry and Command
2.4 Attitude control subsystem
2.5 Launching orbits (polar, inclined, equatorial, LEO, MEO, GEO)
2.6 Power, Thermal Control
3. Microwave Link Budget
3.1 Link budget (system noise, uplink, downlink, effects of Rain)
3.2 Cross link
3.3 Interference
 Course Contents
4. Space Segment (BUS Configuration and subsystems)
4.1 Transponder model, Payload, Bus, TT&C
4.2 Satellite Transponder
4.3 Station keeping and TT&C subsystem
4.4 Space segment processing (frequency translation)
5.Earth station Segment
5.1 Earth station configuration
5.2 Tracking Telemetry & Command (TT&C) ground facility
5.3 FECC, Direct broadcasting satellites
5.4 Home TV systems, LNB
6. Satellite Antennas
6.1 Corrugated Horn antenna, Double reflector antennas.
6.2 Multifeed Offset Fed Parabolic Reflector.
6.3 Shaped reflector for (multibeam radiation).
6.4 Phased arrays.
6.5 Earth footprints and power levels (EIRP).
 Course Contents
7. Digital communication techniques
7.1 Modulation Techniques.
7.2 FDMA (Power requirement of the transponder)
7.3 TDMA (Network synchronization, closed loop timing)
7.4 CDMA (DS, FH)
7.5 Error Correcting Codes

Course grades
HWs 10%
Lab: 10%
Test1 15%
Test2 15%
Term Project 10%
Final test 40%
 Course References
Textbook:
1. Satellite Communications, By Timothy Pratt, Charles Bostian, and
Jeremy Allnutt, John Wiley, 2003

References:
1.G. Maral & M. Bousquet, Satellite Communication Systems, John
Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1999.
2.Dennis Roddy, “Satellite Communications”, 3rd edition, McGraw-
Hill, 2001.
3.2. J.J Spilker, “Digital communications by satellites”, prentice hall,
1977.
4.3. Bruce R. Elbert, “Introduction to Satellite communications”,
2nd Edition, Artech House, 1999.
 Seminars: communication applications
1. Satellite Internet Based.
2. Direct Broadcasting satellite services
3. Satellite mobile services
4. VSATs (very Small aperture satellites)
5. Remote sensing satellites +SAR
6. ‘GPS’ Global positioning Satellite system
7. GMDSS, search and rescue(SAR), NOAA
8. Small Satellites
9. Digital communications for satellites
10. International Space Station (ISS)
Required:
1. Written report with references.
2. Each subject should consider a specified sat as an example (30%)
3. Power point presentation (30%)
4. Every student will be given a time to present his report to the class
in 45 min and 15 mins for discussion.
4. The seminars will start from the 8th week.
Course Description:

This course covers the most relevant aspects of satellite communications, with emphasis on
the most recent applications and developments.

The course begins with a review on the background and basic concepts of satellite
communications. Next it covers the orbital aspects, with emphasis on the geostationary orbit.
Satellite subsystems, launching methods, and on-board processing are also discussed.

The design of a digital satellite link is discussed in detail, including link budgets, modulation,
error control coding, baseband signaling theory, and multiple access methods. Frequency
assignments and propagation aspects that affect the satellite link are then discussed.

Antennas and earth station technology are presented, including the design of very small
aperture terminals (VSATs). The course then covers non-geosynchronous orbits and their
applications. Specific applications of satellites are also explored, including the global
positioning system (GPS), satellites for mobile communication, and satellites for internet
Topics to be Covered:
• Introduction and Background
• Orbital Aspects and Launching
• Spacecraft Subsystems
• Link Budgets
• Modulation
• Multiple Access & On-Board Processing
• Coding
• Frequency & Propagation Aspects
• Earth Station Technology & VSATs
• Applications (GPS, Mobile, Internet, etc.)
• Non-Geosynchronous Orbits (NGSO)
 Introduction
Types of satellite services
1. Fixed satellite service (FSS)
• Links for existing telephone networks
• Transmitting TV signals to cable companies.
2. Broadcasting Satellite Service (BSS)
• Direct to home (DTH) =Direct broadcasting satellites (DBS)
3. Mobile satellite service (MSS)
• Land mobile , maritime mobile and aeronautical mobile
4. Navigation satellite service (GPS)
• Global positioning system (S&R)
5. Meteorgolical satellite service (Weather Forecast)
6. Deep Space Satellites
(FSS) Radio Relay station Deep Space Satellites
in space
BSS
 Advantages of satellite communications

1. Mobile/Wireless Communication, independent of location

2. Wide area coverage:country,continent, or globe
3. Wide bandwidth available throughout
4. Independence from terrestrial infrastructure
5. Rapid installation of ground network
6. Low cost per added site
7. Uniform service characteristics
8. Total service from a single provider
9. Small Fading margin (3dB)

Disadvantages of satellite communications

1. High cost for satellite
2. Short life time maximum of 15 years
3. Redundancy in component!
ITU Spectrum allocation and regions
Ku band: DBS and FSS
C band: FSS (no DBS are allowed)
VHF band : certain MSS and data transfer from weather satellites.
L band: MSS and navigation sat. systems.
Uplink freq. > downlink freq.(Ex. FSS:C=6/4 GHz) (DBS:ku14/12GHz)
Spectrum Allocation

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 Frequency Spectrum concepts:
• Frequency: Rate at which an electromagnetic wave reverts its
polarity (oscillates) in cycles per second or Hertz (Hz).
• Wavelength: distance between wavefronts in space. Given in
meters as: = c/f
Where: c = speed of light (3x108 m/s in vacuum)
f = frequency in Hertz
• Frequency band: range of frequencies.
• Bandwidth: Size or “width” (in Hertz) or a frequency band.
• Electromagnetic Spectrum: full extent of all frequencies from
zero to infinity. 17
 Radio Frequencies (RF)
• RF Frequencies: Part of the electromagnetic spectrum
ranging between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. Interesting
properties:
– Efficient generation of signal power
– Radiates into free space
– Efficient reception at a different point.
Differences depending on the RF frequency used:
- Signal Bandwidth
- Propagation effects (diffraction, noise, fading)
- Antenna Sizes
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 Microwave Frequencies
• Sub-range of the RF frequencies approximately from 1GHz
to 30GHz. Main properties:
- Line of sight propagation (space and atmosphere).
- Blockage by dense media (hills, buildings, rain)
- Wide bandwidths compared to lower frequency bands.
- Compact antennas, directionality possible.
- Reduced efficiency of power amplification as frequency grows:
Radio Frequency Power OUT
Direct Current Power IN

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 Spectrum Regulation
International Telecommunication Union (ITU): Members from
practically all countries around the world.
• Allocates frequency bands for different purposes and
distribute them around the planet.
• Creates rules to limit RF Interference (RFI) between countries
that reuse same RF bands.
• Mediates disputes and creates rules to deal with harmful
interference when it occurs.
• Meets bi-annually with its members, to review rules and
allocations: World Radio Communication Conference (WRC).
• There are also the Regional Radio Communication
Conferences (RCC), which happen less often. 20
 Radio Frequency Spectrum
Commonly Used Bands

SHF
AM HF VHF UHF L S C X Ku Ka V Q
0.1 1 10 100 1 10 100

MHz GHz

Terrestrial Bands

Space Bands

Shared (Terrestrial and Space)

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 Space-Earth Frequency Usability

Resonance
frequencies below
100GHz:
• 22.2GHz (H20)
• 53.5-65.2 GHz
(Oxygen)
Atmospheric attenuation effects for Space-to-Earth as a function of frequency (clear air conditions).
(a) Oxygen; (b) Water vapor. [Source: ITU © 1988]
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 Insights on Frequency Selection:
(Part 1: Lower frequencies, stronger links)

LEO satellites need lower RF frequencies:

Omni-directional antennas on handsets have low gain - typically
G = 0 db = 1
Flux density F in W/m2 at the earth’s surface in any beam is
independent of frequency
Received power is F x A watts , where A is effective area of
antenna in square meters
For an omni-directional antenna A = G 2/ 4  = 2/ 4 
At 450 MHz, A = 353 cm2, at 20 GHz, A = 0.18 cm2
Difference is 33 dB - so don’t use 20 GHz with an omni!

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Insights on Frequency Selection:
(Part 2: Higher frequencies, higher capacity)
GEO satellites need more RF frequencies
High speed data links on GEO satellites need about 0.8 Hz of RF
bandwidth per bit/sec.

A 155 Mbps data link requires 125 MHz bandwidth

Available RF bandwidth:
C band 500 MHz (All GEO slots occupied)
Ku band 750 MHz (Most GEO slots occupied)
Ka band 2000 MHz (proliferating) Q/V band ?

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Satellite Systems Applications

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 Classical satellite systems

Inter Satellite Link

(ISL)
Mobile User
Link (MUL) MUL
Gateway Link
(GWL) GWL

small cells
(spotbeams)

base station
or gateway
footprint

ISDN PSTN GSM

PSTN: Public Switched User data

Telephone Network
 Initial application of GEO Satellites:
Telephony
1965 Early Bird 34 kg 240 telephone circuits
1968 Intelsat III 152 kg 1500 circuits
1986 Intelsat VI 1,800 kg 33,000 circuits

2000 Large GEO 3000 kg8 - 15 kW power

1,200 kg payload

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 Current GEO Satellite Applications:
Broadcasting - mainly TV at present
DirecTV, PrimeStar, etc.

Point to Multi-point communications

VSAT, Video distribution for Cable TV
Mobile Services
Motient (former American Mobile Satellite), INMARSAT, etc.

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 Satellite Navigation:
GPS and GLONASS

GPS is a medium earth orbit (MEO) satellite system

GPS satellites broadcast pulse trains with very
accurate time signals
A receiver able to “see” four GPS satellites can
calculate its position within 30 m anywhere in world
24 satellites in clusters of four, 12 hour orbital
period
“You never need be lost again”
Every automobile and cellular phone will eventually
have a GPS location read-out
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 LEO Satellites in year 2000
Several new systems are just starting service

Circular or inclined orbit with < 1400 km altitude

Satellite travels across sky from horizon to horizon in
5 - 15 minutes
Earth stations must track satellite or have omni-
directional antennas
Constellation of satellites is needed for continuous
communication.
Handoff needed. 30
System Elements

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Satellite System Elements
Space Segment

Satellite Coverage Region

Earth SCC
Stations
TT&C Ground Station

Ground Segment
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 Space Segment
– Satellite Launching Phase
– Transfer Orbit Phase
– Deployment
– Operation
– TT&C - Tracking Telemetry and Command Station: Establishes a
control and monitoring link with satellite. Tracks orbit distortions and
allows correction planning. Distortions caused by irregular gravitational
forces from non-spherical Earth and due to the influence of Sun and Moon
forces.
– SSC - Satellite Control Center, a.k.a.:
– OCC - Operations Control Center
– SCF - Satellite Control Facility
Provides link signal monitoring for Link Maintenance and
Interference monitoring.
– Retirement Phase

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 Types of Satellite Stabilization
• Spin Stabilization
– Satellite is spun about the axis on which the
moment of inertia is maximum (ex., HS 376,
most purchased commercial communications
satellite; first satellite placed in orbit by the
Space Shuttle.)
• Three-Axis Stabilization
– Bias momentum type (ex., INTELSAT V)
– Zero momentum type (ex., Yuri)
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 Satellite Subsystems
• Communications
– Antennas
– Transponders
• Common Subsystem (Bus Subsystem)
– Telemetry/Command (TT&C)
– Satellite Control (antenna pointing,attitude)
– Propulsion
– Electrical Power
– Structure
– Thermal Control
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 Ground Segment
Collection of facilities, users and applications.

FSS – Fixed Satellite Service MSS – Mobile Satellite Service

Earth Station = Satellite Communication Station (air, ground or

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sea, fixed or mobile).
System Design Considerations

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 Basic Principles
Satellite

Uplink Downlink
Earth
Station Earth
Station

Source Output
Tx Information Rx
Information

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 Signals
Signals:
Carried by wires as voltage or current
Transmitted through space as electromagnetic waves.
Analog:
• Voltage or Current proportional to signal; e.g., Telephone.
Digital: Generated by computers.
Ex. Binary = 1 or 0 corresponding to +1V or –1V.

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 Separating Signals
Up and Down:
FDD: Frequency Division Duplexing.
f1 = Uplink
f2 = Downlink
TDD: Time Division Duplexing.
t1=Up, t2=Down, t3=Up, t4=Down,….
Polarization
V & H linear polarization
RH & LH circular polarizations

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 Separating Signals
(so that many transmitters can use the same transponder simultaneously)

Between Users or “Channels” (Multiple Access):

FDMA: Frequency Division Multiple Access; assigns each
transmitter its own carrier frequency
f1 = User 1; f2 = User 2; f3 = User 3, …

TDMA: Time Division Multiple Access; each transmitter is given

its own time slot
t1=User_1, t2=User_2, t3=User_3, t4 = User_1, ...

CDMA: Code Division Multiple Access; each transmitter

transmits simultaneously and at the same frequency and each
transmission is modulated by its own pseudo randomly coded
bit stream
Code 1 = User 1; Code 2 = User 2; Code 3 = User 3

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Digital Communication System

TRANSMITTER

Source Source Channel Modulator

Data Coding Coding

RF
Channel

Output Source Channel Demodulator

Data Decoding Decoder

RECEIVER

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Current Developments and
Future Trends

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 Current Trends in Satellite
Communications

Bigger, heavier, GEO satellites with multiple roles

More direct broadcast TV and Radio satellites
Expansion into Ka, Q, V bands (20/30, 40/50 GHz)
Massive growth in data services fueled by Internet
Mobile services:
May be broadcast services rather than point to point
Make mobile services a successful business?
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 The Future for Satellite
Communications – 1
Growth requires new frequency bands
Propagation through rain and clouds becomes a problem
as RF frequency is increased
C-band (6/4 GHz) Rain has little impact
99.99% availability is possible
Ku-band (10-12 GHz) Link margin of  3 dB needed
for 99.8% availability
Ka-band (20 - 30 GHz) Link margin of  6 dB needed
for 99.6% availability
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 The Future for Satellite
Communications - 2

Low cost phased array antennas for mobiles are

needed
Mobile systems are limited by use of omni-directional
antennas
A self-phasing, self-steering phased array antenna with
6 dB gain can quadruple the capacity of a system
Directional antennas allow frequency re-use

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 Satellite-Related Terms
• Earth Stations – antenna systems on or near earth
• Uplink – transmission from an earth station to a
satellite
• Downlink – transmission from a satellite to an
earth station
• Transponder – electronics in the satellite that
convert uplink signals to downlink signals
 Ways to Categorize
Communications Satellites
• Coverage area
– Global, regional, national
• Service type
– Fixed service satellite (FSS)
– Broadcast service satellite (BSS)
– Mobile service satellite (MSS)
• General usage
– Commercial, military, amateur, experimental
 Classification of Satellite Orbits
• Circular or elliptical orbit
– Circular with center at earth’s center
– Elliptical with one foci at earth’s center
• Orbit around earth in different planes
– Equatorial orbit above earth’s equator
– Polar orbit passes over both poles
– Other orbits referred to as inclined orbits
• Altitude of satellites
– Geostationary orbit (GEO)
– Medium earth orbit (MEO)
– Low earth orbit (LEO)
 Geometry Terms
• Elevation angle - the angle from the
horizontal to the point on the center of the
main beam of the antenna when the antenna
is pointed directly at the satellite
• Minimum elevation angle
• Coverage angle - the measure of the portion
of the earth's surface visible to the satellite
 Minimum Elevation Angle
• Reasons affecting minimum elevation angle
of earth station’s antenna (>0o)
– Buildings, trees, and other terrestrial objects
block the line of sight
– Atmospheric attenuation is greater at low
elevation angles
– Electrical noise generated by the earth's heat
near its surface adversely affects reception
 GEO Orbit
• Advantages of the the GEO orbit
– No problem with frequency changes
– Tracking of the satellite is simplified
– High coverage area
• Disadvantages of the GEO orbit
– Weak signal after traveling over 35,000 km
– Polar regions are poorly served
– Signal sending delay is substantial
 LEO Satellite Characteristics
• Circular/slightly elliptical orbit under 2000 km
• Orbit period ranges from 1.5 to 2 hours
• Diameter of coverage is about 8000 km
• Round-trip signal propagation delay less than 20
ms
• Maximum satellite visible time up to 20 min
• System must cope with large Doppler shifts
• Atmospheric drag results in orbital deterioration
 LEO Categories
• Little LEOs
– Frequencies below 1 GHz
– 5MHz of bandwidth
– Data rates up to 10 kbps
– Aimed at paging, tracking, and low-rate messaging
• Big LEOs
– Frequencies above 1 GHz
– Support data rates up to a few megabits per sec
– Offer same services as little LEOs in addition to voice
and positioning services
 MEO Satellite Characteristics
• Circular orbit at an altitude in the range of 5000 to
12,000 km
• Orbit period of 6 hours
• Diameter of coverage is 10,000 to 15,000 km
• Round trip signal propagation delay less than 50
ms
• Maximum satellite visible time is a few hours
Frequency Bands Available for
Satellite Communications
 Satellite Link Performance
Factors
• Distance between earth station antenna and
satellite antenna
• For downlink, terrestrial distance between earth
station antenna and “aim point” of satellite
– Displayed as a satellite footprint
• Atmospheric attenuation
– Affected by oxygen, water, angle of elevation, and
higher frequencies