SPACE COMMUNICATIONS

SYSTEMS

OVERVIEW

OBJECTIVES

BASIC PRINCIPLES
MILITARY SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS
COMMERCIAL SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS
WARFIGHTER APPLICATIONS
THE WAY AHEAD

OBJECTIVES
UNDERSTAND BASIC CONCEPTS, PRINCIPLES AND
ADVANTAGES OF SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS
UNDERSTAND SYSTEM CAPABILITIES AND LIMITATIONS
FOR DOD, CIVIL, AND COMMERCIAL SATELLITE
COMMUNICATIONS
UNDERSTAND POTENTIAL SUPPORT APPLICATIONS FOR
MILITARY OPERATIONS

OVERVIEW

OBJECTIVES

BASIC PRINCIPLES

MILITARY SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS

COMMERCIAL SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS
WARFIGHTER APPLICATIONS
THE WAY AHEAD

BASIC COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

SPACE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
APPLICATIONS
COMPONENTS
USER/TRANSMITTER SEGMENT
TRANSMISSION MEDIUM
USER/RECEIVER SEGMENT

RELAY OR TRANSMISSION OF INFORMATION

TEXT
VOICE
VIDEO
DATA

BASIC COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

SPACE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

POINT A

POINT B

COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
LINKS
SIMPLEX
(one way only)
POINT B

POINT A

HALF DUPLEX
(one way or the other)
POINT A

POINT B

FULL DUPLEX
(both ways simultaneously)
POINT A

POINT B

GEO-SYNCHRONOUS

MOST COMMON ORBIT: LOW INCLINATION

ALTITUDE: APPROXIMATELY 23,0000 NM
LIFE SPAN: MEASURED IN YEARS
MAJOR EFFECT ON LIFE SPAN: CONSUMABLES AND
SYSTEM DEGRADATION
PERIOD: USUALLY 24 HOURS

GEO-SYNCHRONOUS ORBIT
THREE SATELLITES IN NEAR-EQUATORIAL ORBITS CAN
PROVIDE CONTINUOUS GLOBAL COVERAGE...

...EXCEPT FOR THE POLES

GEO-SYNCHRONOUS SATCOM

HIGHLY INCLINED, ELLIPTICAL

MOST COMMON ORBIT: NEAR POLAR

ALTITUDE: 200 TO 10000 NM
LIFE SPAN: 1 YEAR OR LONGER
MAJOR EFFECT OF LIFE SPAN: CONSUMABLES
PERIOD: 90 MIN TO 11 HRS

HIGHLY INCLINED, ELLIPTICAL ORBIT

HIGHLY INCLINED, ELLIPTICAL
ORBITS COVER THE POLES,
BUT...

...DO NOT PROVIDE CONTINUOUS

GLOBAL COVERAGE

HIGHLY ELLIPTICAL
ORBITS

NEAR-EARTH

MOST COMMON ORBIT: NEAR POLAR

ALTITUDE: 100 - 200 NM
LIFETIME: LESS THAN 1 YEAR
MAJOR EFFECT ON LIFESPAN: ATMOSPHERIC DRAG
PERIOD: 90 MIN

NEAR-EARTH ORBIT
NEAR-EARTH SATCOM SYSTEMS USE
MANY SMALL, CHEAP SATELLITES TO
PROVIDE WIDE AREA COVERAGE

NEAR-EARTH ORBITS

SATCOM VS TERRESTRIAL COMM

GENERAL ADVANTAGES
LINE OF SIGHT NOT REQUIRED BETWEEN USERS
COMMUNICATION COST & QUALITY LESS SENSITIVE TO
DISTANCE AND TERRAIN EFFECTS
MOBILE COMM LINKS BEYOND LINE OF SIGHT
DIRECT COMMUNICATIONS TO REMOTE AREAS, NO
NEED FOR INTERMEDIATE GROUND RELAYS
WIDE AREA OR FOCUSED BROADCAST OPTIONS
LARGE CAPACITY FOR MESSAGE TRAFFIC
MINIMUM RESTRAINT ON USERS

COMSAT ADVANTAGES

TERRESTRIAL COMMUNICATIONS

SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS

SATCOM VS TERRESTRIAL COMM

MILITARY RELATED ADVANTAGES

SMALLER TERMINALS THAN WHOLE TERRESTRIAL SYSTEM

LOW PROBABILITY OF INTERCEPT OR DETECTION
HIGHER DEGREE OF RELIABILITY AND SURVIVABILITY
REDUCED LOGISTICAL BURDENS
REDUCED SITING PROBLEMS
RAPID NETWORK DEPLOYMENT, RECONFIGURATION
EASILY EXPANDED
FLEXIBLE CONNECTIVITY
COLLOCATED WITH UNIT FOR DEFENSE

SATCOM VS TERRESTRIAL COMM

LIMITATIONS

HIGH COST FOR SATELLITES, SPACELIFT, TERMINALS,

AND COMMAND & CONTROL RESOURCES
FREQUENCY SPECTRUM
ORBITAL POSITION AVAILABILITY
VULNERABILITY TO ASAT WEAPONS & JAMMING

OVERVIEW
OBJECTIVES
BASIC PRINCIPLES

MILITARY SATELLITE
COMMUNICATIONS
COMMERCIAL SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS
WARFIGHTER APPLICATIONS
THE WAY AHEAD

PROVIDE TIMELY ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND

DISSEMINATION OF DECISIONS TO GLOBALLY
DEPLOYED MILITARY FORCES
DSCS

UFO

FLTSATCOM

MILSTAR

AFSATCOM

MILSATCOM REQUIREMENTS
HARD-CORE

SECURE, SURVIVABLE
COMMAND AND CONTROL
FOR HIGH PRIORITY USERS

SOFTCORE

HIGH CAPACITY, SURVIVABLE

COMMUNICATIONS FOR DOD

GENERAL PURPOSE

LOWER PRIORITY
COMMUNICATIONS WITH
MINIMUM SURVIVABILITY
REQUIREMENTS

GENERAL PURPOSE
COMMUNICATIONS
USERS
MOBILE TERMINALS
TACTICAL BROADCAST

SATCOM SYSTEMS
FLEET SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS
UHF F/O
COMMERCIAL

MILSATCOM REQUIREMENTS
HARD-CORE

SECURE, SURVIVABLE
COMMAND AND CONTROL
FOR HIGH PRIORITY USERS

SOFTCORE

HIGH CAPACITY, SURVIVABLE

COMMUNICATIONS FOR DOD

GENERAL PURPOSE

LOW PRIORITY
COMMUNICATIONS WITH
MINIMUM SURVIVABILITY
REQUIREMENTS

SOFTCORE
COMMUNICATIONS
USERS

AUTODIN/AUTOSEVOCOM
DEFENSE DATA NETWORK (DDN)
DEFENSE SWITCHED NETWORK (DSN)
DIPLOMATIC TELECOMM SERVICE (DTS)
GROUND MOBILE FORCES (GMF)

SATCOM SYSTEMS
DEFENSE SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS
SYSTEM (DSCS)

MILSATCOM REQUIREMENTS
HARD-CORE

SECURE, SURVIVABLE
COMMAND AND CONTROL
FOR HIGH PRIORITY USERS

SOFTCORE

HIGH CAPACITY, SURVIVABLE

COMMUNICATIONS FOR DOD

GENERAL PURPOSE

LOW PRIORITY
COMMUNICATIONS WITH
MINIMUM SURVIVABILITY
REQUIREMENTS

HARD-CORE
COMMUNICATIONS
USERS
NATIONAL COMMAND AUTHORITY/CINC NETWORKS
EMERGENCY ACTIONS MESSAGE DISSEMINATION TO
STRATEGIC FORCES
TAKE CHARGE AND MOVE OUT (TACAMO)
AIRBORNE WARNING AND CONTROL SYSTEM (AWACS)

SATCOM SYSTEMS
MILSTAR
AF SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM (AFSATCOM)

UHF SYSTEM CHARACTERISTICS

ADVANTAGES

GREATER CHANNEL CAPACITY

SMALL, ECONOMICAL, HIGHLY MOBILE
MATURE TECHNOLOGY ==> RELIABLE
EXCELLENT QUALITY
300-3000 MHz

DISADVANTAGES
VULNERABLE TO NUCLEAR BLACKOUT
SUSCEPTIBLE TO JAMMING AND INTERCEPT
CROWED SPECTRUM

UHF SYSTEM CHARACTERISTICS

LARGE AREA COVERAGE

MOBILE TERMINALS
MINIMAL PROTECTION
LDR, SOME MDR

FLEET SATELLITE MISSION

GLOBAL, UNPROTECTED TACTICAL

COMMUNICATIONS FOR NAVAL AIRCRAFT,
SURFACE SHIPS, SUBMARINES AND SHORE
STATIONS

FLEET SATELLITE

FLEET SATELLITE
SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
CAPABILITIES
23 CHANNELS (FLEET BROADCAST, FLEET RELAY AIR FORCE
NARROWBAND AND DOD WIDEBAND)
TERMINALS ARE MANPACKS, AIRBORNE, SHIP/SHORE AND
SIOP MISSION TERMINALS
EHF TEST PACKAGE ON LAST TWO FLIGHTS
NO POLAR COVERAGE

CONSTELLATION SPECIFICS

4 OPERATIONAL SATELLITES
5 YEAR DESIGNED LIFE
LAUNCHED 1978 TO 1989
1 SATELLITE PER SECTOR

FLEET SATELLITE

UHF F/O MISSION

GLOBAL, UNPROTECTED TACTICAL COMMUNICATIONS

FOR NAVAL AIRCRAFT, SURFACE SHIPS, SUBMARINES
AND SHORE STATIONS

REPLACES FLTSAT/LEASED SATELLITE CONSTELLATION

GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS FOR NAVAL FORCES
EAM AND SIOP DISSEMINATION (AFSATCOM)
PRESIDENTIAL COMMAND NETWORK

UHF FOLLOW-ON SATELLITE

UHF F/O
SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
CAPABILITIES
39 CHANNELS (SOME POSSESS ANTI-JAM CAPABILITY)
TERMINALS ARE MANPACKS, AIRBORNE, SHIP/SHORE AND
SIOP MISSION TERMINALS
EHF TEST PACKAGE ON FLIGHTS 4-10
NO POLAR COVERAGE

CONSTELLATION SPECIFICS

6 SATELLITES ( 1 ACTIVE, 1 TACO)

14 YEAR DESIGNED LIFE
COMPLETE DEPLOYMENT BY 1998 (10 SATELLITES)
PAYLOAD CONFIGURATION BY NAVAL SPACE COMMAND
SATELLITE CONTROL BY AF SPACE COMMAND

UHF FOLLOW-ON SATELLITE

FLTSAT & UHF F/O USERS

UHF CH 23

DOD WIDEBAND USERS

EAM DISSEMINATION

UHF
CH 1-10
UHF
CH 11-22
AFSCN
TT&C
USAF NARROWBAND
NUCLEAR FORCE COMMAND
& CONTROL

USN LAND, SEA, AIR FORCES

DATA DISTRIBUTION
I&W
FLEET BROADCAST
TACTICAL INTEL
OTHER WARFARE USES

SHF SYSTEM CHARACTERISTICS

ADVANTAGES

GREATER CHANNEL CAPACITY

WIDESPREAD CONNECTVITY
ROUTING DIVERSITY
LESS VULNERABLE TO NUCLEAR BLACKOUT AND
SCINTILLATION

DISADVANTAGES
LIMITED FREQUENCY ALLOCATION
LIMITED ANTI-JAMMING CAPABILITY
GROUND EQUIPMENT IS LARGE AND COSTLY

SHF SYSTEM CHARACTERISTICS

REGIONAL COVERAGE
TRANSPORTABLE/FIXED
TERMINALS
LIMITED AJ PROTECTION
MDR, SOME HDR

DSCS MISSION

SECURE, SURVIVABLE COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE

GLOBAL C2 SYSTEM (GCCS); MANAGED BY THE DEFENSE
INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY (DISA)
ADDITIONAL AFSATCOM SUPPORT VIA THE DSCS III
SINGLE CHANNEL TRANSPONDER (SCT)

DSCS SATELLITES

DSCS II

DSCS III

DSCS II SYSTEM DESCRIPTION

SYSTEM CAPABILITIES

TWO EARTH COVERAGE, TWO NARROW BEAM ANTENNAS

1200 SIMULTANEOUS TELEPHONE USERS
LIMITED MOBILITY
NO POLAR COVERAGE

CONSTELLATION SPECIFICS
3 ACTIVE SATELLITES
10 YEAR DESIGN LIFE
LAUNCHED 1971-1982

DSCS II SYSTEM DESCRIPTION

DSCS III SYSTEM DESCRIPTION

CAPABILITIES
EARTH COVERAGE, SPOT, MULTIBEAM ANTENNAS
10,000 SIMULTANEOUS TELEPHONE USERS

CONSTELLATION SPECIFICS
6 OPERATIONAL SATELLITES--3 RESERVES IN GEOSTATIONARY ORBIT
10 YEAR DESIGN LIFE
LAUNCHED 1982 TO PRESENT 5 DSCS OPERATIONS
CENTERS WORLDWIDE, OPERATED BY USARSPACE
SATELLITE HEALTH SUPPORTS BY AFSPC

DSCS III SYSTEM DESCRIPTION

DSCS EMPLOYMENT APPLICATIONS

NUCLEAR SURVIVABILITY
ROBUST COMMAND AND CONTROL SYSTEM
ANTIJAM AT HIGH DATA RATES
SIOP AND CINC EAM/FDM MSGS

DSCS EMPLOYMENT APPLICATIONS

GCCS

EARLY WARNING

PAYLOAD CONTROL
NAOC

ARMY SPACE
COMMAND

TT&C

AF SPACE
COMMAND

GROUND MOBILE
FORCES

EHF SYSTEM CHARACTERISTICS

ADVANTAGES

EXTENSIVE BANDWIDTHS
JAM RESISTANT
NON-CROWDED SPECTRUM
SMALL EQUIPMENT, SATELLITE APPLICATIONS
LEAST VULNERABLE TO NUCLEAR BLACKOUT

DISADVANTAGES
TECHNOLOGY RISK -- BRAND NEW
SUSCEPTIBLE TO RAIN AND ATMOSPHERIC ATTENUATION
CAPABILITIES UN-EXPLOITED

EHF SYSTEM CHARACTERISTICS

PRIMARILY SPOT
COVERAGE
MOBILE TERMINALS
AJ, AS, LPI PROTECTION
LDR, MDR, HDR

MILSTAR MISSION

PROVIDE SURVIVABLE, ENDURING, MINIMUM

ESSENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS FOR COMMAND &
CONTROL OF THE WARFIGHTING FORCES OF THE
UNITED STATES

MILSTAR SYSTEM
DESCRIPTION
CAPABILITIES
SECURE AND ENDURING COMMUNICATIONS
MIX OF ORBITS -- POLAR ADJUNCTS AND INTERLINKING
USER DATA STORED ON SATELLITE TO IMPROVE SYSTEM
FLEXIBILITY AND SURVIVABILITY
ARMY, NAVY AND AIR FORCE TERMINALS INTEROPERABLE
ENCYPTED VOICE, DATA, TELETYPE OR FACSIMILE COMM

CONSTELLATION SPECIFICS
2 MILSTAR ON ORBIT
INITIAL LAUNCH IN 1992

MILSTAR USERS
CINCS ARE APPORTIONED CAPACITY, AND CINCS
DIRECT IMPLEMENTATION FOR THEIR USERS
AIR FORCE (COMING)
PRIMARILY FOR COMMAND POST USE
SOME TERMINALS BACKWARD COMPATIBLE WITH
AFSATCOM

NAVY (AVAILABLE)
SHORE, SHIP, & SUBMARINE USE
FEWER OPTIONS THAN AF TERMINAL

ARMY (COMING)
SCAMP MANPACK; SOF/VIP APPLICATIONS
SMART-T (HMMWV MOUNTED)

AFSATCOM MISSION
SECURE, RELIABLE, SURVIVABLE, TWO-WAY
GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE
COMMAND ELEMENT AND ALL SEGMENTS OF THE
FORCES THROUGH ALL LEVELS OF CONFLICT
AFSATCOM

EAM DISSEMINATION
JCS-CINC INTERNETTING
FORCE DIRECTION & REPORTING
NON-SIOP FORCES

AFSATCOM
SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
CAPABILITIES
WORLDWIDE CAPABILITY
DOWNLINK VULNERABILITY
DEPENDENT ON HOST SATELLITE

CONFIGURATION
TRANSPONDERS ON FLTSAT, UFO, AND
DSCS SATELLITES
MANAGED BY HQ AFSPC/SC

AFSATCOM
USERS

B-52 AFSATCOM TERMINAL

NAVAL FORCES

COMMAND AND CONTROL AIRCRAFT

AFSATCOM
USERS

NMCS

MISSILE LAUNCH
CONTROL FACILITY

CINC
COMMAND CENTERS

BOMBERS AND
AIRBORNE CMD POST

OVERVIEW
OBJECTIVES
BASIC PRINCIPLES
MILITARY SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS

COMMERCIAL SATELLITE
COMMUNICATIONS
WARFIGHTER APPLICATIONS
THE WAY AHEAD

COMMERCIAL SATELLITE
AUGMENTATION

AUGMENTATION OF DOD SYSTEMS

HIGH THROUGHPUT COMMUNICATIONS
NO SURVIVABILITY CAPABILITY
FIXED AND SEMI-FIXED TERMINALS

INMARSAT
DESIGNED TO PROVIDE FULL
DUPLEX COMMUNICATIONS TO
SHIPS FOR TELEPHONE,
TELETYPE, FACSIMILE AND DATA.
DOD LEASE OF CHANNELS
CALLED GAPFILLER.
PORTABLE TERMINALS LEASED
TO SUPPORT DESERT STORM.

INMARSAT SATELLITE

INTELSAT
INTERNATIONAL
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
SATELLITE ORGANIZATION
125 MEMBER NATIONS
HALF OF ALL INTERNATIONAL
TELEPHONE CALLS
NEARLY ALL TRANSOCEANIC
TELEVISION

NINETEEN COMSATS DEPLOYED

SIX GROUND STATIONS
WORLDWIDE

LEASAT

COMMERCIAL SYSTEM TO
AUGMENT THE FLEET SATELLITE
CONSTELLATION
FOUR SATELLITES, LAST
DEPLOYED IN 1990
OPERATED BY HUGHES
COMMUNICATION FOR THE US NAVY

LEASAT

OVERVIEW

OBJECTIVES
BASIC PRINCIPLES
MILITARY SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS
COMMERCIAL SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS

WARFIGHTER APPLICATIONS
THE WAY AHEAD

DOD WARFIGHTERS
HIGHLY MOBILE USERS
AIR/FLEET OPERATIONS
DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY (DEA)
WHITEHOUSE COMMUNICATIONS AGENCY

NUCLEAR CAPABLE FORCES

NATIONAL COMMAND AUTHORITITES
INTEGRATED TACTICAL WARNING ASSESSMENT
EAM DISSEMINATORS

COVERT/SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES

MILSATCOM REQUIREMENTS
PERSPECTIVE
INTEL
27%
OTHER
35%

JOINT
STAFF/CINC
6%
ARMY
10%

MARINES
1%

AIR FORCE
18%

NAVY
3%

OVERVIEW

OBJECTIVES
BASIC PRINCIPLES
MILITARY SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS
COMMERCIAL SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS
WARFIGHTER APPLICATIONS

THE WAY AHEAD

INFORMATION TO THE WARFIGHTER

NEAR-REAL TIME WEATHER INFORMATION

UPDATED THREAT INTELLIGENCE
IMAGERY AND INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION