1152EC120 - SATELLITE

COMMUNICATION
Dr. Saravanan M.
drsaravananm@veltech.edu.in

Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr.Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and

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INTRODUCTION TO
SATELLITE
COMMUNICATION
• Earth station will receive the maximum signal level, if it is located directly under the satellite.
• Otherwise, it won’t receive maximum signal level and that signal level decreases as the difference between the latitude and
longitude of earth station increases.
• So, based on the requirement we can place the satellite in a particular orbit.
Look Angles
The following two angles of earth station antenna combined together are called as look angles.
1. Azimuth Angle
2. Elevation Angle
• Generally, the values of these angles change for non-geostationary orbits.
• Whereas, the values of these angles don’t change for geostationary orbits. Because, the satellites present in geostationary
orbits appear stationary with respect to earth.
• These two angles are helpful in order to point at the satellite directly from the earth station antenna.
• So, the maximum gain of the earth station antenna can be directed at satellite.
• We can calculate the look angles of geostationary orbit by using longitude & latitude of earth station and position of
satellite orbit. Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr.Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and
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1. Azimuth Angle
• The angle between local horizontal plane and the plane passing through earth station, satellite and center of earth is
called as azimuth angle.
• The formula for Azimuth angle (α) is
• Where,
L is Latitude of earth station antenna.
G is the difference between position of satellite orbit and earth station antenna.
• The following figure illustrates the azimuth angle.
• Measure the horizontal angle at earth station antenna to north pole as shown in figure. It represents azimuth angle. It is
used to track the satellite horizontally.

Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr.Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and

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2. Elevation Angle
• The angle between vertical plane and line pointing to satellite is known as Elevation angle. Vertical plane is nothing
but the plane, which is perpendicular to horizontal plane.
• The formula for Elevation angle (β) is
• We can calculate the elevation angle by using above formula.
• The following figure illustrates the elevation angle.
• Measure the vertical angle at earth station antenna from ground to satellite as shown in the figure. It represents
elevation angle.

Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr.Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and

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Look Angle Determination:

Determination of the look angles and range involves the following quantities and concepts:
1. The orbital elements, as published in the NASA bulletins.
2. Various measures of time
3. The perifocal coordinate system, which is based on the orbital plane
4. The geocentric-equatorial coordinate system, which is based on the earth’s equatorial plane
5. The topocentric-horizon coordinate system, which is based on the observer’s horizon plane.
The two major coordinate transformations needed are:
■ The satellite position measured in the perifocal system is transformed to the geocentric-horizon system in which the
earth’s rotation is measured, thus enabling the satellite position and the earth station location to be coordinated.
■ The satellite-to-earth station position vector is transformed to the topocentric-horizon system, which enables the look
angles and range to be calculated.

Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr.Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and

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• For geostationary orbit, these angels values does not change as the satellites are stationary with respect to earth. Thus
large earth stations are used for commercial communications.
• For home antennas, antenna beamwidth is quite broad and hence no tracking is essential. This leads to a fixed position
for these antennas.
• With respect to the figure 1.8 and 1.9, the following information is needed to determine the look angles of geostationary
orbit.
1. Earth Station Latitude: λE
2. Earth Station Longitude: ΦE
3. Sub-Satellite Point‟s Longitude: ΦSS
4. ES: Position of Earth Station
5. SS: Sub-Satellite Point
6. S: Satellite
7. d: Range from ES to S
8. ζ: angle to be determined

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Considering figure, it‟s a spherical triangle. All sides are the arcs of a great circle. Three
sides of this triangle are defined by the angles subtended by the centre of the earth.
 
o Side a: angle between North Pole and radius of the sub-satellite point.
o Side b: angle between radius of Earth and radius of the sub-satellite point.
o Side c: angle between radius of Earth and the North Pole.
a =900 and such a spherical triangle is called quadrantal triangle. c = 90 0 – λ
 
Angle B is the angle between the plane containing c and the plane containing a.
 
Thus, B = ΦE-ΦSS
 
Angle A is the angle between the plane containing b and the plane containing c.
 
Angle C is the angle between the plane containing a and the plane containing b.
Thus, a = 900
c = 900 - λE
B = ΦE-ΦSS
Thus, b = arcos (cos B cos λE)
And A = arcsin (sin |B| / sin b)

Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr.Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and

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Applying the cosine rule for plane triangle to the triangle of figure
                         

Applying the sine rule for plane triangles to the triangle of figure 3.3 allows the angle of elevation to be found:
                   

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 THANK YOU

Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr.Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and

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