Mobile Satellite Communications Handbook

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, 78

5.3 Structure of the INMARSAT Organization, 79

5.4 Ownership of the INMARSAT Organization, 82

5.5 Land Earth Stations (LESs) in INMARSAT, 83

5.6 Mobile Terminals in INMARSAT, 87

5.7 INMARSAT System Services, 90

5.7.1 INMARSAT Maritime Safety Services, 90

5.7.2 Principal Non-safety Services, 91

5.8 Transformation of the INMARSAT Organization, 94

5.9 ICO Global Communications, 99

6 INMARSAT plc 102

6.1 Introduction to INMARSAT plc, 102

6.2 INMARSAT's Satellites, 106

6.2.1 Existing Satellites, 106

6.2.2 Planned Satellites, 108

6.3 INMARSAT's Services, 109

6.3.1 Leased Services, 113

6.3.2 IsatPhone Pro, 114

6.3.3 Maritime Services, 115

6.3.4 Land Services, 116

6.3.5 Aeronautical Services, 118

7 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Mobile Satellite Communications Systems 119

7.1 Methodology, 119

7.2 Iridium, 121

7.2.1 Background to Iridium, 121

7.2.2 Iridium System Description, 125

7.2.3 Iridium Bankruptcy, 126

7.2.4 Iridium's Reentry, 128

7.3 Globalstar, 130

7.3.1 Globalstar Bankruptcy, 134

7.3.2 Globalstar's Reentry, 136

7.3.3 Globalstar's System and Services, 141

7.4 ORBCOMM, 143

7.4.1 History of "Little Leo" Technology, 143

7.4.2 Orbital Sciences' Efforts to Commercialize Little Leos, 145

7.4.3 Frequency Issues, 147

7.4.4 The Initial ORBCOMM Business, 149

7.4.5 The New ORBCOMM Business, 151

7.4.6 The ORBCOMM Communications System, 152

8 Non-Inmarsat Geostationary Mobile Satellite Communications Systems 157

8.1 OmniTRACS, 157

8.2 Thuraya, 160

8.3 Mobile Satellite Communications Services from Intelsat, 164

9 Other Important Mobile Satellite Communications Systems 170

9.1 O3b, 170

9.2 SES, 173

9.3 LightSquared, 175

9.4 TerreStar, 179

9.5 Asia Cellular Satellite (ACeS), 181

9.6 Mexsat, 182

9.7 Google, 183

10 Military Mobile Satellite Communications Systems 184

10.1 1980s-1990s History, 185

10.2 US Military Mobile Satellite Communications Post 9/11, 186

Appendix I US Communications Satellite Timeline 1940s Through 1990s 190

Appendix II Background Statements by the International Telecommunications Union on Mobile Satellite Communications Frequency Assignments 1996, 1997, and 2000 197

Appendix III Public Services Agreement Between the International Mobile Satellite Organization and INMARSAT 215

Appendix IV Mobile Satellite Communications Excerpts From U.S. Federal Communications Commission Report on U.S. Commercial Mobile Services 232

Index 245