Learning objectives
Knowledge and understanding.
The aim of the course is to provide the student with the ability to understand:
• architectures and trends in satellite communication systems;
• digital satellite communication systems, key technologies and elements for their selection, standards, their design and analysis;
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding.
The skills to apply the knowledge and understanding listed are in particular:
• design, analyze and optimize the performance of satellite communication systems;
• Modelling satellite communication systems.
Prerequisites
None
Course unit content
Introduction—historical perspective of satellite telecommunications,
Satellite telecommunications applications, regulatory, commercial and architectural aspects, orbits of satellite communication systems, payload architectures, payload elements, the ground segment and digital communication techniques, link budgets, standards, access techniques for IoT, optical communications.
Commercial geostationary and non-geostationary mobile communication systems, commercial fixed broadband geostationary and non-geostationary communication systems.
Full programme
Introduction
- Brief introduction to the topics of the course. (0.5 hours)
- Satellite telecommunications: a historical perspective. (1 hour)
Satellite telecommunications applications (1 hour)
- Broadcasting services
- Professional point-to-point communication services
- Broadband communication services
- Mobile communication services
Regulatory, commercial and architectural aspects (1.5 hours)
- Regulation of the radio frequency spectrum
- Satellite Communications market segments and outlook
- Digital broadcasting system architectures based on geostationary satellites
- Broadband system architectures based on geostationary and low-orbit satellites
Orbits of satellite communication systems (4 hours)
- Fundamentals of satellite orbits
- GEO, GSO, LEO, HEO orbits
- Guided exercise for LEO constellation simulation in Matlab
Payload architectures of satellite communication systems (1 hour)
- Types of payload
- The transparent payload with single and multiple beams
- The transparent and regenerative digital payload
Satellite communication system payload elements (6 hours)
- Single beam antennas
- Passive and active multi-beam antennas
- Passive microwave elements
- Active elements for microwave reception
- Active elements for microwave transmission
- Digital payload processors
- Non-ideal payload effects
The ground segment of satellite communication systems (4 hours)
- Satellite Network Architectures
- Types of ground segment equipment and their architectures
- Technical solutions for digital broadcasting
- Technical solutions for broadband access
- Technical solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT)
- Aspects of digital communication techniques for satellite systems
Link budgets of satellite communication systems (6 hours)
- The parameters of the budget link
- The satellite mobile channel and its modelling
- Impacts of interference
- Nonlinear Channel Effects
- System multibeam
- Example of a professional budget link
- Regenerative payloads
- Guided exercise for creating a transparent satellite link budget with MS Excel
Satellite communication systems standard (7 hours)
- Lo standard DVB-S2(X)
- Guided exercise for DVB-S2X simulation with Matlab
- The DVB-RCS(2) standard
- The DVB-SH standard
- The ETSI S-MIM standard
- The 3GPP 5G NTN standard
Access techniques for IoT (6 hours)
- The problem of random access via satellite and the application of terrestrial solutions
- Advanced slotted techniques
- Advanced unslotted techniques with and without using spread-spectrum
- Examples of use of random access in satellite systems
- Example of sizing a system for IoT
Optical Communications for Satellite (2 hours)
- Why using optical communications via satellite and related issues
- The effects of optical propagation in the atmosphere
- Optical connections between satellites
- Countermeasures for optical satellite communications
- Digital optical communication techniques
Commercial mobile communication systems (4 hours)
- Non-geostationary systems (Iridium, Globastar, AST Mobile, Apple, Starlink direct to cell)
- Geostationary systems (Inmarsat, Thuraya, Sirius-XM, Solaris, Terrestar/Echostar, Global Express)
Commercial fixed broadband communication systems (3 hours)
- The link bottleneck with the ground segment
- Geostationary systems (Eutelsat Ka-sat, Viasat 2 e 3, Hughes Networks Jupiter 3)
- Non-geostationary systems (SES O3B, OneWeb, SpaceX Starlink, Amazon Kuiper)
Bibliography
Gérard Maral, Michel Bousquet, Zhili Sun, “Satellite Communications Systems: Systems, Techniques and Technology”, 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Print ISBN:9781119382089 |Online ISBN:9781119673811 |DOI:10.1002/9781119673811
Teresa M. Braun and Walter R. Braun, Satellite Communications Payload and System, 2nd ed, by published jointly by John Wiley & Sons and the IEEE Press in July 2021 (ISBN: 978-1-119-38431-1).
Teaching methods
Lectures with exercises carried out on the blackboard by the teacher or on the computer through the use of MS Excel and Matlab (approximately 80% lessons, 20% exercises). The exercises focus on exercises assigned to students one week in advance. In this way, students can try their hand at carrying out the exercises and benefit more from the exercises. Students have the opportunity to discuss their development with the teacher in the classroom.
Assessment methods and criteria
The student will be proposed the resolution of exercises and theoretical questions.
Other information
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2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
3, 4, 9, 10, 11
