Questions tagged [communication-satellite]
Questions about satellites designed to aid in communications, such as phone, TV and Internet satellites.
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How to lease a transponder on a GEO satellite?
I have an interesting question. I was thinking about it a year ago when the es'Hailsat 2 was not launched.
There was an organization called "Outernet" that promissed to broadcast files (including ham ...
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1answer
137 views
What is a satellite trap?
I keep hearing about satellite traps, which have something to do with receiving and transmitting satellite communications, but I can't seem to find a definition.
The securityaffairs.co blogpost Hack ...
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1answer
89 views
How often does a geostationary satellite enter into a Lunar shadow?
Is there a chance for the many geostationary satellites to enter into the moon’s shadow?
If so, how frequently do such eclipses happen and how long do they typically last?
Are such eclipses pre-...
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1answer
2k views
What is carrier lock and bit lock?
I'm not sure if this question belongs here or in Amateur Radio, but during the acquisition of signal from New Horizons on New Year's Day, I heard the controllers call out "carrier lock", "symbol lock",...
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1answer
89 views
Satellites around outer planets that act like amplifier to signals from voyager like objects
One issue of deep space exploration is that once the object (like Voyager) is far out in the solar system the physical distance is so great that the signal reaching Earth is very weak. I was wondering ...
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How close will the cubesats be when numerous of them are launched simultaneously?
Checking the onboard video of PSLV C43 gives a feel like the CubeSats are released in very proximity.
Does this mean that these CubeSats will be orbiting in such very close proximity through out ...
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1answer
148 views
How low is VLEO? (FCC's newest approval for SpaceX)
Engaget's SpaceX gets FCC approval to deploy thousands more internet satellites says
SpaceX's plan to build a global, high-speed wireless internet network using satellites has taken another step ...
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110 views
What technology will SpaceX's StarLink satellites most likely use for sat-to-sat linking?
The question How does SpaceX plan to make money with StarLink Broadband? has got me thinking about how the satellites will link to each other.
Wikipedia says it's something greater than 10,000 GHz ...
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2answers
378 views
How does SpaceX plan to make money with StarLink Broadband?
To me, it seems obvious that ground based optical fibres will be cheaper than a space based system by an order of magnitude. So unless say, everyone starts sea-steading and a space based broadband is ...
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1answer
182 views
What prevents all these man-made objects flying in space from colliding with each other?
Does NASA know the location of every object in orbit and they calculate satellite and shuttle launches around not hitting these objects or are they just rolling the dice that the probability of ...
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1answer
92 views
Given a working satellite, would it be possible to build a homemade transmitter/receiver?
Given existing low-orbit and geo-synchronous satellites, would it be possible to build a device that could send a signal to a satellite and then have that signal received on another device? ...
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Does the International Space Station get TV?
For obvious reasons the ISS cannot get cable TV. Can the ISS get the new digital air TV or satellite TV using an issued dish and receiver like a house? How would that be done compared to how it is ...
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How did Syncom-3 achieve eight stages of frequency doubling? I only see seven in the block diagram
@BlueCoder's nice answer to Syncom-3 was the first geostationary satellite. Anyone know of a description of the onboard electronics? mentions that the the master oscillator was doubled eight times to ...
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52 views
Syncom-3 was the first geostationary satellite. Anyone know of a description of the onboard electronics?
I am interested in any description of the electronics on Syncom-3, the first geostationary satellite. I've been able to find quite a bit of general information. There was a pair of 2 Watt TWTs and ...
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1answer
49 views
Looking for info about commercial usage of satellites with examples [closed]
I'm doing research for an article and I'm looking for info about usage of satellites by commercial companies. For instance, usage of small satellites by insurance companies (imaging and etc.) or ...
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1answer
165 views
How will Astrocast's upcoming IoT (Internet of Things) network in space work? What kind of “things” will be networked?
The Space Daily article Astrocast signs contract with GomSpace Sweden to deliver propulsion systems says in part
GomSpace Sweden - a subsidiary of GomSpace Group AB, has received an order from ...
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1answer
54 views
What is the planned orbital configuration of Astrocast's planned IoT constellation?
The Space Daily article Astrocast signs contract with GomSpace Sweden to deliver propulsion systems says in part
GomSpace Sweden - a subsidiary of GomSpace Group AB, has received an order from ...
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120 views
How many different countries operate a satellite?
Looking over the list of recent launches, I find communication satellites for countries who do not have their own space program. How many different countries operate a satellite as of 2018? Is that ...
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1answer
122 views
What technologies are to used to broadcast signal from space?
I have seen a lot of companies offering a satellite phone service. But I have not seen anyway to broadcast my own signal from space.
What technology (that I can google) do they use to send their ...
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168 views
What kind of power does “…most powerful all-electric propulsion communications satellite ever produced” refer to?
The Florida Today article On second flight, SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to launch 'brute' of a satellite from Cape describes the upcoming SpaceX launch of SES-12. Next to this tiny image of (presumably) ...
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2k views
Are commercial communications satellites in GEO being constantly monitored by telescopes?
I was trying to look up GOES-17 in Spaceflight101 but got sidetracked in the search result and ended up reading this thread about AMC-9, which links to the YouTube video Rough cut video of AMC-9 ...
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1answer
89 views
What are these two very large, round panels on opposite sides of AngoSat-1?
The Spaceflight101 article AngoSat-1 Satellite Overview Shows several images of the large communication satellite designed for GEO.
Two color photos show that the spacectraft has two large (roughly ...
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149 views
How does dispute resolution work with the ITU.
I keep reading about disputes on allocation of satellites or spectrum - is there a way to read about them on the ITU sites - similar to reading the WTO dispute reports.
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What would be the first noticeable consequences to the general public of widespread satellite destruction?
What would most likely be the first thing I, as an average citizen of a developed nation, notice, if within a matter of hours, all major commercial and government satellites were to be destroyed in a ...
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50 views
What are the regulatory steps to be taken by a private aerospace company in India to launch a satellite?
The idea is to launch a satellite with ISRO or any other foreign launch service provider like SpaceX. The satellite in question is a simple CubeSat for basic remote sensing.
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Which materials make up a Commercial Satellite?
I'm writing a story based on the premise that an already-existing moon base is used to mine, construct, and launch a bunch of commercial satellites to GTO (the lunar surface is way "closer" to GTO ...
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2answers
569 views
Starlink vs 5G technology
While the world is preparing for 5G mobile technology (which involves new devices for smartphones and stations), SpaceX is going to roll out its Starlink "constellation".
What I did not know is that ...
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1answer
43 views
Users of GSAT-6A or similar communication satellites
Who are the actual users of the recently launched GSAT-6A(or similar communication satellites). Are these satellites only for millitary communication(using satellite phones)? I have a suspicion that ...
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1answer
271 views
Why do the geosynchronous TDRS satellites have this distribution of inclinations?
From the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) option on Celestrak's NORAD Two-Line Element Sets Current Data TLE page I've compiled current TLE ...
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3answers
2k views
Do satellite uplink/downlink signals spread or leak into space?
Satellite communication generally involves three types of nodes: the ground station (also known as teleport), the satellite in geosynchronous orbit, and the satellite receiver/transceiver. I am ...
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163 views
What are the photonic components on Hispasat 30W-6? What do they do?
In the marketing blurb about the payload in the SpaceX video HISPASAT 30W-6 Mission beginning at T- 00:05:45, there is mention of a demonstration of photonic ...
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1answer
255 views
How stable is an orbit of 335.9 km?
Spacex has recently begun deployment of its satellite constellation that will provide internet services. In their initial filings with the FCC they propose that they may have over 7,000 VLEO (very low ...
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Mars Mission Blackout/Whiteout Period Communication Options [closed]
Just wanted to get some opinions on what might be some emerging/non-traditional ways to deal with 2 phases of a Mars mission where communication between Mars and Earth would be suspended for a brief ...
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Can they watch TV at the South Pole? What satellites are used for data, comms, and entertainment?
edit: This answer adds one more piece to the puzzle, at least for data.
For navigation, I believe GPS covers the poles.
For data, there is at least Iridium (see answers to What (actually) makes ...
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1answer
68 views
Telecommunication CubeSats
Does anyone know of any company that is using CubeSats for telecommunication services or is this a new idea not yet implemented into the commercial arena?
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2answers
637 views
How to design a ground antenna for sending & receiving from a satellite?
Let's suppose there is a wifi router or a cell phone or similar transmitter in an orbit of 3000 km.
How could one make a dish antenna to connect and receive the signal from that wifi router or cell ...
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2answers
920 views
Difference between Tundra and Molniya orbits?
This excellent answer nicely describes both Tundra orbits and Molniya orbits. They are both repeat groundtrack orbits with periods of rational fractions of a sidereal day, and both have inclinations ...
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1answer
628 views
How much do solar cells for space cost? [closed]
There is a lot of discussion about refueling rockets in deep space. This is to be managed by electrolysis of water powered by solar cells. This requires a lot of energy so one needs a lot of solar ...
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Satellite Intra link [closed]
I read there are sometimes intra-satellite links.
Is it already used or just a project in the future ? How is is used and why ? and for what services ?
thanks
david
thanks for interesting answers. ...
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1answer
238 views
Rapid deployment of cubesat network with Gauss cannons
Lets say I want to create a satellite constellation similar to earth's GPS network around the moon or mars with around 24 4U-6U cubesats as shown in this image:
I was wondering is it possible/...
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2answers
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Are there any protocols the space station follows if there is an Earth-wide catastrophe?
Are there any protocols the space station (or any space explorer) follows if there is a massive catastrophe on Earth where the responsive parties on the ground would not be available for support/...
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3answers
174 views
Would there be any advantage to set satellites closer to the sun?
If there were a Coronal mass ejection would having a satellite closer to the sun give us an ability to detect and warn us or would all communications be knocked out and/or the solar flare would be the ...
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2answers
996 views
Would adding satellites between Earth and Mars improve communications latency?
Would adding satellites along the path from Earth to Mars decrease the amount of time it takes to send and receive messages between them?
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199 views
Is TDRS-M (TDRS-13) where it's supposed to be?
edit: Status 2018-Jan-01 inclination still about 7 degrees, location still not listed in Wikipedia.
This question got me thinking about the location of active TDRS satellites, and the newest ...
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1answer
305 views
Can a satellite scan an entire continent to search for someone?
I've heard that Osama Bin Laden was first found via satellite. I was wondering if it is possible to have a satellite that can scan an entire continent and find a single person or terrorists without ...
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2answers
166 views
Is the utility PREDICT good enough for operational orbital prediction?
I'm looking for a cheap and cheerful, but ultimately working utility or library for tracking a cubesat and predicting link windows. I've been looking at using Orekit. I'm a student, so a lot of its ...
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1answer
219 views
How can satellites serve a large number of devices on earth?
Say we have a LEO satellite. There are 5000 low power devices on earth (They are in the close vicinity, can be served by same satellite) which needs to be communicated with the satellite.
Now my ...
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Radio Link Design of a low power, sensors to satellite communication system
I would like to know, what is the most sophisticated or preferred approach when it comes to connecting a "low earth orbit satellite" to a "low power transmitter devices on the ground".
I know there ...
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What is the most popular programming language in space?
For the purposes of clarification
- will include machine code generated by a programming language on earth.
- 'in space' includes anything in orbit and deep space transit.
- special mentions of ...
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1answer
183 views
Is a space probe communication relay possible?
Is it possible to maintain a connection with space probes that are far away by sending other space probes behind it.
For example -
[earth] ------1---- 2-------3--------4------5....and so on if ...
