Mobile Satellite Communications Handbook

Foreword ix
 
Preface xi
 
Biography xiii
 
1 Introduction to Satellite Communications 1
 
1.1 A Brief History of Satellite Communications, 1
 
1.1.1 Origins of Communications Satellite Technology, 1
 
1.1.2 Origins of the Communications Satellite Legal Structure--International, 6
 
1.1.3 Origins of the US Communications Satellite Legal Structure--Domestic, 10
 
1.1.4 The Merger of Domestic and International Communication Satellite Legal Structures, 12
 
1.1.5 NASA and Civil Communications Satellites, 12
 
1.2 Current Major Communications Satellite Systems, 13
 
1.2.1 Military Communications Satellites, 14
 
1.2.2 Civil Communications Satellites, 14
 
1.2.3 Commercial Satellites, 16
 
2 Overview of the Technology 22
 
2.1 Introduction, 22
 
2.2 Radio Frequencies, 24
 
2.3 Orbits, 31
 
2.3.1 Low Earth Orbiting Communications Satellites, 31
 
2.3.2 Geostationary and Geosynchronous Communications Satellites, 34
 
2.3.3 Intermediate Circular, Medium Earth, and Elliptical Orbiting Communications Satellites, 37
 
2.4 Satellites and Earth Stations, 39
 
2.4.1 Basic Components of Communications Satellites, 39
 
2.4.2 Basic Elements in Satellite Ground Earth Stations, 42
 
2.5 Channels, Link Analysis, and Networks, 44
 
2.5.1 Channels, 44
 
2.5.2 Link Analysis, 46
 
2.5.3 Networks, 47
 
3 Early Proposals for Mobile Satellite Communications 51
 
3.1 Military Interest in Mobile Satellite Communications, 51
 
3.2 NASA Efforts, 57
 
3.3 Aerosat, 57
 
3.4 Maresat, 62
 
4 Marisat and Marecs: Pioneering Commercial Mobile Satellite Services 65
 
4.1 Marisat, 66
 
4.2 Marecs, 69
 
5 Introduction to INMARSAT 73
 
5.1 Origins of the INMARSAT Organization, 74
 
5.2 US Participation in the INMARSAT Organization,

Roger Cochetti has been an executive in the technology sector for over thirty years, including COMSAT Mobile Communications, IBM, VeriSign and other technology businesses. He has served as a Member of the United Sates Department of State Advisory Committee on Information and Communications Policy during both the Bush and Obama administrations. Cochetti is the author of The Mobile Satellite Communications Handbook; John Wiley & Sons/Quantum; 1998 and of numerous published white papers and monographs on technology matters. He earned a Bachelor's degree from GeorgetownUniversity, a Master's from JohnsHopkinsUniversity and has been listed among Who's Who in America for over a decade.