Broadband Telecommunications Handbook, Second Edition

Satellite communications have developed through the years. The first use of satellite technology was in the military for voice communications in the early 1960s. Despite the advancements in the technology, commercial providers are prohibited from constructing and launching satellites at will. Despite these limitations, commercial satellites provide valuable information on meteorology, agriculture, forestry, geology, environmental science, and other areas.
Many countries use satellite technology to improve agriculture. Satellites are used to determine productive from nonproductive yields. In many cases, they use other services such as infrared vision. Satellite-based navigation, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), a military invention, also assists in the process of reviewing agricultural production. Farmers can keep track of what they plant, fertilize, and spray. A farmer can now account for different kinds of soil, varying in acidity, organic content, and nitrogen levels. In addition, differences in drainage and treatment can be determined. All this improves yield and prevents the waste of valuable chemicals. This practice is well established in America. More than a dozen companies sell equipment used in agriculture.
Satellites have found a niche in oceanography. In regional and local seas, satellites provide remote sensing, which gives a unique approach to monitoring the environment for the management of living resources, fishing, navigation, and coastal erosion. All maritime nations now have access to valuable information needed to manage the ocean boundaries that comprise their economic zone.
Countries use satellites in many adaptations. From military applications,...