TABLE OF CONTENTS In this introductory chapter, a brief description of the numerous services provided by presently operational and planned communications satellites is followed by a listing of a number of international and domestic satellite systems. From the discussion of analog versus digital satellite transmission trends, we conclude that modern satellite-earth station systems more and more frequently employ digital modulation techniques (systems that modulate and demodulate digital signals are known as digital communication systems).
The more important earth station and satellite communication subsystems are described. This chapter concludes with definitions of basic system parameters and an illustrative link calculation.
The commercial global satellite system owned and operated by a consortium of more than 100 nations known as the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization, INTELSAT, provides modern, high-quality services to its member countries. The various INTELSAT and domestic satellite systems services are listed in the preface. Earth stations in the INTELSAT system are owned and operated by the designated telecommunications entities in the countries where they are located (see Fig. 1.1).
The international and also the domestic long-distance communication traffic requirements are increasing at a fascinating speed. In Fig. 1.2 the...
