Includes chapters on orbital mechanics, spacecraft construction, satellite-path radio wave propagation, modulation techniques, multiple access, and a detailed analysis of the communications link.

Table of Contents

Preface.

Introduction.

Orbital Mechanics and Launchers.

Satellites.

Satellite Link Design.

Modulation and Multiplexing Techniques for Satellite Links.

Multiple Access.

Error Control for Digital Satellite Links.

Propagation Effects and their Impact on Satellite-Earth Links.

VSAT SYSTEMS.

Low Earth Orbit and Non-Geostationary Satellite Systems.

Direct Broadcast Satellite Television and Radio.

Satellite Navigation and the Global Positioning System.

Appendix A: Decibels in Communications Engineering.

Appendix B: FDM/FM/FDMA Analog Telephone Transmission.

Appendix C: Complementary Error Function erfc(x) and Q Function Q(z).

Appendix D: The Simple Attenuation Model.

Glossary.

Index.