Design, Testing, and Operation of an X-Band Satellite Communications System

The salient features of a military -band satellite system, which has been planned at SHAPE Technical Centre (STC) to form part of an automatically switched network, is outlined. Satellite post-launch test and system operational requirements such as in-orbit testing, orbit determination and prediction, frequency planning, and system control are discussed. Technical facilities and techniques which have been and are being used at STC to meet these requirements for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Satellite System are described. These include three ground terminals and laboratory, as well as computer models of the entire satellite communications system.