INTRODUCTION TO

SATELLITE
COMMUNICATIONS
Presented by
Nyamuchengwe Kudzwai C
R215817B
Mtema Ken R213120H
 What is a satellite
• A satellite is an object that orbits a larger object,
such as a planet, star, or moon. Satellites can be
natural or artificial.
• It is a space vehicle that is launched by humans
and orbits around earth or other celestial body
• Satellite communications is the process of
transmitting signals (data eg voice,audio,video
etc ) between different points on Earth using
artificial satellites orbiting the planet as relay
stations
• Satellite communication involves transmitting
signals (e.g., voice, audio, video, or data)
between Earth-based stations using satellites as
relay stations. This technology enables long-
distance communication where traditional
How satellites work
• If 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 transmits the signals to the satellite at Up link

frequency.

• Up link frequency is the frequency at which Earth station is

communicating with a satellite.

• The satellite transponder process the signal and sends it to the

second Earth station at another frequency called downlink
frequency.
Advantages of satellite communications
1. Global Coverage
Satellites provide communication services to remote, rural, and
underserved areas where terrestrial infrastructure (like fiber optics or
cellular networks) is impractical or too expensive to deploy.
They enable connectivity over oceans, deserts, and polar regions,
ensuring global reach.
2. Reliability
Satellite communications are less susceptible to natural disasters (e.g.,
earthquakes, floods) that can damage ground-based infrastructure.
They provide consistent service in areas with poor or nonexistent
terrestrial networks.
3. Scalability
Satellite networks can easily scale to accommodate more users or
expand coverage without significant infrastructure changes.
5. High Bandwidth
Modern satellites, especially high-throughput satellites
(HTS), offer high bandwidth capabilities, supporting data-
intensive applications like video streaming, VoIP, and
internet access.

6. Mobility Support
Satellite communications are essential for mobile
applications, such as aviation (in-flight Wi-Fi), maritime (ship
communications), and land vehicles (e.g., military or
emergency response).

7. Disaster Recovery and Emergency Response

Satellites are often the first to restore communication in
disaster-stricken areas when terrestrial networks are
damaged or destroyed.
Disadvantages of satellite
communications
1. High Initial Costs
Launching satellites into orbit is extremely expensive, involving
significant costs for design, construction, and deployment.
Ground infrastructure, such as satellite dishes and receivers,
can also be costly for end-users.

2. Latency Issues
Geostationary satellites (GEO), which orbit at about 35,786 km
above the Earth, introduce noticeable signal delay (latency)
due to the long distance the signal must travel.
This latency can affect real-time applications like video
conferencing, online gaming, and VoIP.
3. Susceptibility to Weather and Environmental
Conditions

Satellite signals can be disrupted by atmospheric

conditions, such as rain, snow, and heavy clouds
(known as rain fade).
Solar activity and other environmental factors can
also interfere with signal quality.
HISTORY OF SATELLITE
COMMUNICATIONS
 1957: Sputnik 1- First artificial satellite launched by the Soviet
Union- Capability: Radio transmission of simple signals
 1958: Project SCORE- First communications satellite launched by
the United States- Capability: Store-and-forward messaging
 1960: Echo 1- First passive communications satellite launched
by NASA- Capability: Reflecting radio signals
 1962: Telstar 1- First active communications satellite launched
by NASA and AT&T- Capability: Transatlantic television
transmission
 1963: Syncom 2- First geosynchronous communications satellite
launched by NASA- Capability: Stable, continuous
communication services
-1965: Early Bird (Intelsat 1)- First commercial communications
satellite launched by Intelsat- Capability: Global television
transmission
-1970s: Development of C-Band and Ku-Band Satellites- Capability:
Increased transmission capacity and improved signal quality
-1980s: Introduction of Direct Broadcast Satellites (DBS)- Capability:
Direct-to-home television broadcasting
-1990s: Development of Ka-Band Satellites and Internet via Satellite-
Capability: High-speed internet access and increased transmission
capacity
-2000s: Introduction of High-Throughput Satellites (HTS) and Satellite-
2010s: Development of Advanced HTS, Satellite
Constellations, and 5G Integration- Capability: Ultra-high-
speed data transmission, global coverage, and seamless
5G integration
Present Day (2020s)- Capability: Advanced HTS,
satellite constellations, 5G integration, and emerging
technologies like quantum communication and satellite-
based IoT
Types of satellite orbits
1. Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
• Altitude: 160 km to 2,000 km above Earth.
• Orbital Period: 90 minutes to 2 hours.
• Characteristics:
• Closest to Earth, providing low latency and high-resolution
imaging.
• Requires high speed to maintain orbit.
• Small coverage area per satellite, so constellations are often
used for global coverage.
• Applications:
• Earth observation (e.g., weather monitoring, environmental
monitoring).
• Communication constellations (e.g., Starlink, OneWeb).
• Scientific research and space stations (e.g., International
2. Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)
•Altitude:2,000 km to 35,786 km above Earth.
•Orbital Period: 2 to 24 hours.
•Characteristics:
• Balances between LEO and GEO in terms of coverage and latency.
• Often used for navigation and positioning systems.
•Applications:
• Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) like GPS (USA),
GLONASS (Russia), Galileo (EU), and BeiDou (China).
• Some communication satellites.
3. Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO)
• Altitude: 35,786 km above Earth.
• Orbital Period: 24 hours (synchronous with Earth's rotation).
• Characteristics:
• Satellites appear stationary relative to a fixed point on Earth.
• Large coverage area (up to one-third of Earth's surface).
• High latency due to distance from Earth.
• Applications:
• Television broadcasting (e.g., DirecTV, Sky).
• Weather monitoring (e.g., GOES satellites).
• Long-distance communication (e.g., Intelsat).
Basic principles of satellite communication systems
• Signal transmission:
A ground station transmits an encoded signal (uplink) towards the
satellite using a directional antenna.
• Satellite reception and amplification:
The satellite receives the signal with its antenna, amplifies it using a
transponder, and changes the frequency to avoid interference with the
uplink signal.
• Signal retransmission (downlink):

The amplified and frequency-shifted signal is then transmitted back to

Earth from the satellite antenna towards the intended receiving station
References
 D. Roddy, Satellite Communications, 4th ed. McGraw-Hill, 2006.

 T. Pratt, C. W. Bostian, and J. E. Allnutt, Satellite Communications, 2nd ed.

Wiley, 2003.

 NASA, "History of Satellite Communications," 2021. [Online]. Available:

https://www.nasa.gov

 SpaceX, "Starlink Mission Overview," 2023. [Online]. Available:

https://www.spacex.com
Key Trends and Future Developments
• Miniaturization and Cost Reduction
Advances in satellite miniaturization (e.g., CubeSats) and reusable
rocket technology (e.g., SpaceX Falcon 9) have reduced costs and
increased accessibility.
• Sustainability and Space Debris Mitigation
Efforts are being made to address space debris and ensure
sustainable use of orbit.
• Global Connectivity Initiatives
Projects like Starlink and OneWeb aim to provide affordable internet
access to underserved regions, transforming global communication.
Key applications of satellite
communication
• Remote area connectivity: Providing phone and internet access to rural or geographically
isolated regions where terrestrial infrastructure is limited.

• Disaster management: Enabling communication during natural disasters like hurricanes

or earthquakes when ground networks are damaged, facilitating rescue and recovery
efforts.

• Broadcasting: Relaying television and radio signals over large geographical areas .

• Navigation: GPS systems rely on satellite signals to provide precise

location information.
• Maritime communication: Connecting ships at sea for
navigation and communication.
• Military applications: Secure communication for military
operations in remote or hostile environments.
• Satellite radio: Delivering digital radio broadcasts directly
to listeners.
• Space exploration: Communication between spacecraft
and Earth, including data transmission from probes and
rovers.
• Aviation communication: Maintaining communication
between aircraft and ground control, particularly over