The development of a British prototype Ka-band satellite transponder

Frequency congestion in the established C-band (6/4 GHz) and Ku-band (14/11 GHz) used for fixed service satellite communications (satcom) will eventually impose a move to the Ka-band (30/20 GHz) space allocation. Japan is already providing internal Ka-band satcom services via its national CS-2 spacecraft which was launched in 1983. CS-2 is the first of a number of national and international satellites carrying Ka-band payloads which are promised in the next five years to provide both fixed telecommunication services and inter-satellite relays. Europe´s first experimental venture into this new band will be starting in 1989 with the launch of the European Space Agency´s (ESA) Olympus satellite. This paper describes a national project aimed at securing for the UK a share of this future space market. This is the development by Marconi of an advanced 30/20 GHz space craft transponder for the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment (RSRE) at Defford as part of a programme sponsored by the British National Space Centre (BNSC). This experimental transponder will provide the UK springboard for the development and testing of the many novel features of tomorrow´s communications satellite payloads.