Earth Stations, Antennas and User Devices

Abstract

Satellite engineers focus heavily on the design, launch, and safe operation of spacecraft. To satellite operators, the reliable deployment and uninterrupted provision of satellite signals and the successful maintenance of their TTC&M network and spacecraft control center represent their prime objectives. The truth of the matter, however, is that without Earth stations, antennas and various types of user transceivers and user devices, the satellite assets would be worthless. The entire goal of satellite systems design over the past half century has been to find ways to make the ground antennas lower in cost, smaller in size, more transportable and much easier to use. This is in part because Earth station costs dominate the total system costs in most satellite networks.