Satellite: A satellite is a celestial body that orbits around a planet.

In aerospace
terms, a satellite is a space vehicle launched by humans and orbits earth or
another celestial body.
Satellite communication: A communications satellite is a microwave repeater
in the sky that consists of a diverse combination of one or more of the
following: receiver, transmitter, amplifier, regenerator, filter, on-board
computer, multiplexer, de-multiplexer, antenna, waveguide and about any other
electronic communications circuit ever developed.
Advantages:
1. High channel capacity.
2. Low error rates.
3. Stable cost environment.
4. Wide area coverage.
5. Coverage can be shaped by antenna patterns.
Disadvantages:
1. Expensive to launch.
2. Expensive ground stations required.
3. Cannot be maintained.
4. Limited frequency spectrum.
5. Limited orbital space (geosynchronous).
6. Constant ground monitoring required for positioning and operational
control.
Application:
1. Telecommunications.
2. Military communications.
3. Navigation systems.
4. Remote sensing and surveillance.
5. Radio/Television broadcasting.
6. Astronomical research.
7. Weather observation.
Differentiate between active satellite and passive satellite
Differentiate between synchronous and non-synchronous satellite
Kepler’s law:
1. Kepler’s 1st law: states that a satellite will orbit a primary body following
an elliptical path. It is also called law of ellipses.
2. Kepler’s 2nd law: also known as the law of areas states that for equal
intervals of time a satellite will sweep out equal areas in the orbital plane.
3. Kepler’s 3rd law: also known as harmonic law states that the square of
 the periodic time of orbit is proportional to the cube of the mean distance
between the primary and the satellite.

Categorize satellite based on their elevation from the earth surface.

Describe the features of each category.
1. LEO: Low earth orbit.
1.0-2.5 GHz frequency range.
Motorola’s satellite based mobile telephone system, iridium.
Path loss between earth stations and space.
Vehicles are much lower.
High altitude (80-500 km).
Lower transmit powers.
Smaller antennas.
Less weight.
2. MEO: Medium earth orbit.
1.2-1.66 GHz frequency range.
2000-35000 km altitude.
3. GEO: Geosynchronous or Geostationary earth orbit.
2-18 GHz frequency range.
35,786 km altitude.
Difficult orbital insertion and maintenance.
What are the common patterns for a satellite orbit?
“Few of the geosynchronous satellites are equatorial” – whether the
statement is true or false? Justify your answer.
No, all of the geosynchronous satellites are equatorial. An equatorial orbit is
when the satellite rotates in an orbit directly above the equator, usually in a
circular path with an equatorial orbit, the angle of inclination is 0 degree and
this is the basic requirement to become a satellite to be geosynchronous
satellite.
Geosynchronous satellite: Geosynchronous satellites orbit earth above the
equator with the same angular velocity as Earth. Here geosynchronous satellite
also called stationary or geostationary satellites. They are appear to remain in a
fixed location above one spot on Earth’s surface.
What are the basic requirement for a satellite to be a geosynchronous
satellites in terms of inclination, rotation direction and velocity?
There are several requirements for satellites to be geosynchronous satellite. The
first and obvious is that geosynchronous satellite must have a 0 degree angle of
inclination. The satellite must also be orbiting in the same direction, as Earth’s
rotation with the same angular velocity-one revolution per day.
Advantages:
1. Geosynchronous satellites remain almost stationary in respect to a given
earth station. So, expensive tracking equipment is not required at the earth
stations.
2. The effects of Doppler shift are negligible.
3. There is no need to switch from one synchronous satellite to another as
they orbit overhead. So there are no transmission breaks due to switching
times.
4. Are available to all earth stations within their shadow 100% of time.
Disadvantages:
1. High-precision spaceman ship is required to place a geosynchronous
satellite into orbit and to keep it there.
2. Require high transmit powers and more sensitive receivers because of the
longer distances and greater path loss.
3. High altitude geosynchronous satellite introduce much longer propagation
delays.
4. Require sophisticated and heavy propulsion devices on board to keep
them in a fixed orbit.
Angle of inclination: angle between the earth’s equatorial plane and orbital
plane of a satellite measured in counter clockwise at the point in the orbit where
it crosses the equatorial plane travelling from South to North.

Azimuth angle: is the angle of earth station antenna. It is measured in a

clockwise direction.
Antenna look angles: To ensure the earth surface is aligned, two angles must
be determines. Both of them combinedly known as antenna look angles.
Angle of elevation: is the angle formed between the direction of travel of an
electromagnetic wave pointing towards the satellite and the horizontal plane.
The smaller the angle of elevation, the greater the distance a propagated wave
must pass through earth’s atmosphere.
Limits of visibility: determines the farthest satellite can be seen by looking
east west of the earth stations. When two earth station antenna is positioning
along horizontal, limits of visibility is maximum. It is also called line-of-sight.
Footprints: The graphical representation of a satellite antenna’s radiation is
called a footprint or footprint maps. It is the area on earth surface that the
satellite can receive or transmit to.
Satellite classification:
1. Spineers satellites: uses angular momentum of its spinning body to
provides roll and yaw starvation.

2. Three axis stabilizer satellites: body remains fixed relative to earth

surface. An internal subsystem provides roll and yaw starvation.

Satellite system link model:

1. Uplink model:
Components:
i. IF modulator.
ii. an IF-to-RF microwave up-converter.
iii. HPA (High power amplifier).
Block diagram:
 Operations:
i. IF modulator converts the input baseband signals to either an
FM/PSK/QAM.
ii. Up-converter converts the IF to an appropriate RF carrier frequency.
iii. HPA converts adequate gain and output power to propagate the
signal to the satellite transponder.
2. Satellite transponder:
Components:
i. An input band-limiting device (BPF).
ii. An input LNA.
iii. A frequency translator.
iv. A low level power amplifier.
v. An output bandpass filter.
Block diagram:

Operations: The input BPF limits the total noise applied to the input of
LNA. The output of the LNA is fed to a frequency translator, which
converts the high band uplink frequency to the low band downlink
frequency. The low level power amplifier amplifies the RF signal for
transmission through the downlink to earth station receivers.
3. Downlink model:
Components:
i. An input BPF.
ii. An LNA.
iii. An RF-to-IF down converter.
Block diagram:
 Operations: The BPF limits the input noise power to the LNA. The LNA
is a highly-sensitive, low-noise device, such as a tunnel diode amplifier or
a parametric amplifier. The RF-to-IF down converter is a mixer/band pass
filer combination that converts RF-to-IF.
4. Crosslink: It is necessary to communicate between two satellites.