Trends in Communications Satellites

Trends in Communications Satellites offers a comprehensive look at trends and advances in satellite communications, including experimental ones such as NASA satellites and those jointly developed by France and Germany. The economic aspects of communications satellites are also examined. This book consists of 16 chapters and begins with a discussion on the fundamentals of electrical communications and their application to space communications, including spacecraft, earth stations, and orbit and wavelength utilization. The next section demonstrates how successful commercial satellite communications have become, citing the INTELSAT series of satellites. The forerunners of INTELSAT satellites are mentioned, and the major characteristics of all INTELSAT satellites are surveyed. One chapter is devoted to the rapidly growing use of communications satellites for various domestic systems, focusing on the systems developed by the Hughes Aircraft Company for Canada, Indonesia, and the United States. The next section considers the economics of communications satellite systems using the INTELSAT and COMSAT experience. The concluding section presents a compilation in tabular and graphical form of the physical characteristics of the satellites discussed in the text. This monograph will be a useful resource for satellite communications engineers as well as policymakers concerned with communications satellites and space exploration more generally.