Overview

Earth stations provide access to the space segment, interconnecting users with one another and with terrestrial networks such as the Internet and the public telephone network. In the first decades of this industry, Earth stations were large, both in physical and financial terms. Individual ownership of a satellite terminal was within the reach only of major organizations and perhaps a few wealthy individuals. By the late 1980s, low-cost TV receive-only (TVRO) terminals cost as little as $1,000; many people who lived in remote areas were pleased to be able to receive commercial television programming through this means. During the 1990s and past 2000, we have the widespread adoption of low-cost user terminals (UTs) that provide access to two-way as well as one-way services. Interestingly, the electronic complexity of the modern UT is no less than what formerly took up several equipment racks in the large Earth stations.

The overall RF and baseband performance of the Earth station has been covered in previous chapters. In this chapter, much more will be said about the various Earth station architectures in relation to the types of services that are provided. Included are digital media content, data communications, and fixed and mobile telephony. A discussion is provided of the TT&C Earth station and satellite control facility, both of which are needed to implement and operate the space segment. They are not typically used for communication services, but their design and operation are no less important to meeting the technical and financial objectives of...