Chapter 5

Satellite Communication System

 Objectives
• Define satellite communications.

• Define and describe satellite orbital patterns and elevation

categories.

• Describe Geosynchronous satellite systems

• Explain satellite antenna look angles and satellite system

link models.

• Define and describe satellite system parameters, link

equations and link budget.

• Calculate satellite link budgets.

 Basic Operation
• Two Stations on Earth want to communicate
through radio broadcast but are too far away to use
conventional means.
• The two stations can use a satellite as a relay station
for their communication
• One Earth Station sends a transmission to the
satellite. This is called a Uplink.
• The satellite Transponder converts the signal and
sends it down to the second earth station. This is
called a Downlink.
Link Budget
 Satellite Components
A satellite system consists of:
• a transponder (a radio repeater in the sky).

• a ground base station to control its operation.

• a user network of earth stations that provide

the facilities of communication traffic through
the satellite system.
Uplink: It is the path of the satellite Downlink: It is the path of the satellite
signal from the earth transmitter to signal from the satellite transmitter to
the receiver of the satellite. The the receiver on the earth. The
frequency signal being transmitted retransmitted signal from the satellite
from the earth to the satellite is called to the receiving stations is called the
the uplink frequency. downlink frequency.
 Frequency band
Satellite up links and down links can operate in different
frequency bands:

The uplink and downlink use different frequency to avoid

interference.
The C band is the most frequently used. The Ka and Ku bands
are reserved exclusively for satellite communication but are
subject to rain attenuation.
Transponder block diagram
The circuitry in the satellite that acts as the receiver, frequency
changer, and transmitter is called a transponder.

a frequency changer/translator consisting

a mixer and local oscillator
 Transponder function
• Acts like a repeater, consists of a receiver and
transmitter.
• Functions:
i) To pick up the transmitted signal from the
transmitter on the earth.
ii) To amplify the signal.
iii) To translate the carrier frequency to another
frequency.
iv) Retransmit the amplified signal to the receiver on
the earth.
 Major problems for satellites
1. Positioning in orbit.

2. Stability.

3. Power.

4. Communications.

5. Harsh environment.
 1. Positioning
• This can be achieved by several methods.
• One method is to use small rocket motors.
• These use fuel – over ½ of the weight of most
satellites is made up of fuel.
• Often it is the fuel availability which determines
the lifetime of a satellite.
• Commercial life of a satellite typically 10 to 15
years.
 2. Stability
• It is vital that satellites are stabilized. Why?
- to ensure that solar panels are aligned properly,
communication antennae are aligned properly.
• Early satellites use SPIN STABILIZATION
- either this requires an in efficient omni-
directional aerial OR antennae were precisely
counter-rotated in order to provide stable
communications.
** Modern satellites use REACTION WHEEL
STABILIZATION – a form of gyroscopic
stabilisation.
 3. Power

• Modern satellites use a variety of power means.

• Solar panels are now quite efficient, so solar
power is used to generate electricity.
• Batteries are needed as sometimes the satellites
are behind the earth – this happens about ½ time
for a LEO satellite.
• Nuclear power has been used – recommended.
 4. Satellite Communication
• It is also possible for
satellites to communicate
with other satellites.
• Communication can be by
microwave of by optical
laser.
 5. Harsh Environment
• Satellite components need to be specially
“hardened”.
• Circuits which work on the ground will fail very
rapidly in space.
• Temperature is also a problem – so satellites use
electric heaters to keep circuits and other vital
parts warmed up – they also need to control the
temperature carefully.
 Orbit Classification
There are 3 useful orbit for communication satellites

- inclined orbit
- equatorial orbit
- polar orbit
Inclined orbit
- are virtually all orbit except those travel directly
above the equator or directly over the North and
South Poles.
- Inclination angle vary from 00 and 1800.
Equatorial orbit
- orbit directly above the equator, usually in a circular
path.
- inclination angle 00
- all geosynchronous satellites are in equatorial orbits.
Polar orbit
-satellite rotate over the North and South Poles
(perpendicular to the equatorial plane)
-inclination angle is nearly 900
 Types of Satellite
• Also classified based on their height above
the earth.
• Satellite Orbits
▪ GEO
▪ LEO
▪ MEO
▪ Molniya Orbit
▪ HAPs
• Frequency Bands
Types of Orbit
Satellite orbit altitudes
 GEO
• These satellites are in orbit 35,786 km above the
earths’s surface along the equator.

• Objects in geostationary orbit revolve around the

earth at the same speed as the earth rotates.
This means GEO satellites remain in the same
position relative to the surface of the earth.
 Advantages GEO
• A GEO satellites’s distance from earth gives it a
large coverage area, almost a fourth of the
earth’s surface.
• GEO satellites have a 24 hour view of a particular
area.
• These factors make it ideal for satellite broadcast
and other multipoint applications.
 Disadvantages GEO
• A GEO satellites’s distance also cause it to have
both a comparatively weak signal and a time
delay in the signal, which is bad for point to point
communication.
• GEO satellites, centered above the equator, have
difficulty for broadcasting signals to near polar
regions.
• Launching of satellites to orbit are complex and
expensive.
 Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
• LEO satellites are much closer to the earth than
GEO satellites, ranging from 500 to 1500 km
above the surface.
• LEO satellites don’t stay in fixed position relative
to the surface, and are only visible for 15 to 20
minutes each pass.
• A network of LEO satellites is necessary for LEO
satellites to be useful.
 Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)
• A MEO satellites is in orbit somewhere between
8,000 km and 18,000 km above the earth’s
surface.
• MEO satellites are similar to LEO satellites in
functionality.
• MEO satellites are visible for much longer periods
of time than LEO satellites, usually between 2 to
8 hours.
• MEO satellites have a larger coverage area than
LEO satellites.
 Molniya Orbit
• Used by Russia for decades.
• Molniya Orbit is an elliptical orbit. The satellite
remains in a nearly fixed position relative to
earth for 8 hours.
• A series of three Molniya satellite can act like a
GEO satellite.
• Useful in near polar regions.
 High Altitude Platform (HAP)
• One of the newest ideas in satellite
communication.
- A blimp or plane around 20 km above the
earth’s surface is used as a satellite.
- HAPs would have very small coverage area, but
would have a comparatively strong signal.
- Cheaper to put in position, but would require a
lot of them in a network.
High Altitude Platform (HAP)
Frequency band
Origin of planetary laws
Kepler’s 1st Law : Law of Ellipses
Kepler’s 2nd Law : Law of Equal
Areas
Kepler’s 3rd Law : Law of
Harmonics
Apogee:
the point in an orbit that is
located farthest from earth.

Perigee:
the point in an orbit that is
closest to earth.
 Antenna Look Angles
– In order to optimize the performance , Earth Station (ES)
must be pointed directly to the satellite.
– Two angle must be determined to align the ES: Azimuth
angle and Elevation angle.
– Azimuth and Elevation angle are jointly referred to as
Antenna Look Angles.
– Azimuth angle is defined as the horizontal pointing angle
of an ES antenna.
– Elevation angle is the vertical angle formed between the
direction of travel of an EM wave radiated from an ES
antenna pointing directly toward a satellite and horizontal
plane
– Azimuth and Elevation are depend on the latitude of the ES and
the longitude of both the ES and satellite.
– Steps to determine the azimuth and elevation angle for
geosynchronous satellite.

• calculate the difference in degrees (L), between the

longitude of the satellite and ES
• from the latitude given,

– determine the azimuth angle.

– determine the elevation angle.
 Example
An earth station is located in Houston, Texas, which has a
longitude of 95.50W and latitude of 29.50N. The satellite interest
is RCA’s Satcom 1, which has a longitude of 1350W. Determine
the azimuth angle and elevation angle for the earth station.

Solution
L = 1350 - 95.50 = 39.50,
Latitude 29.50N
using both Figures (To find azimuth angles) (To find elevation
angles),

azimuth angle = 590

elevation angle = 350
UiTM campus (longitude 103 E, latitude 5 N) receives a TV signal
from MEASAT 1 which is located at 91.5 E in the geostationary
orbit. The satellite earth transmitter at Bukit Mertajam, transmits a
boosted signal power at 2.2 kW through 13.2 m uplink satellite
dish. Antenna efficiency is 70%. The feeder loss is approximated at
5 dB. The QPSK modulator is used to carry video, audio and data at
the rate of 38.015 Mbps.
The uplink frequency is 14 GHz and the downlink frequency is 11
GHz.
UiTM uses a satellite dish of 60 cm with a gain of 36.1 dBi. The
Philips INS610 integrated receiver/decoder is connected through a
20-m cable with a cable attenuation of 0.6 dB/10m and the
equivalent noise temperature is 40  C. Assuming the orbit is 36,000
km high, determine the:
azimuth and elevation angle for the dish antenna at UiTM site;
Azimuth and elevation
UiTM longitude 103°E, latitude 3° N
Measat 91.5°E geostationary orbit
Difference between longitude of earth station
and the satellite
L = 103 − 91.5

Azimuth angle = 65 degree

Elevation angle = 75 degree
SATELLITE SYSTEM PARAMETERS
Below are the parameters that will be used in Link Budget
for satellite system:

i) Back-off Loss, BO or Lbo (dB)

ii) Transmit Power, Pt and Bit Energy, Eb (Joules/bit)
iii) Effective Isotropic Radiated Power, EIRP (watts)
iv) Equivalent Noise Temperature, T (Kelvin)
v) Noise Density, No (Watts/Hertz)
vi) Carrier to Noise Density Ratio, C/No
vii) Energy of Bit to Noise Density Ratio, Eb/No
viii) Gain To Equivalent Noise Temperature Ratio,T
(dB/K)