Basic satellite communication theory
Uplinks – space segment – downlinks
A satellite receives a signal from a ground transmitter – the ‘uplink’ – and re-transmits (‘reflects’) the signal to a ground receiver – the ‘downlink’. A satellite can be considered to have a number of these ‘radio mirrors’ – termed transponders. The part of the system in the sky is termed the ‘space segment’, as we saw on page 15. The signal takes a finite time to travel up to the satellite and back down to earth (referred to as satellite delay), and is around 250 ms.
Uplink chain
As we look at the functions within a complete satellite transmission system, there are certain ...
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