Engineering ORBCOMM: a digital satellite communications system exploiting a range of modern technologies

In February 1990, Orbital Communications Corporation (ORBCOMM) filed an application with the US Federal Communications Commission to create a pioneering low-orbit mobile satellite system. The basis for this application is the realization that modern technology, especially in the areas of communications theory, modulation, coding, and low-cost satellites and launch vehicles, provides an unprecedented opportunity for provision of inexpensive mobile and personal communications services on a world wide basis to the public. The engineering effort associated with implementing this system is reviewed, with special emphasis on novel designs and techniques. Satellite constellation design will be shown to lead to economies in network management, and reduction in system latency. Standards for modulation, signalling, and coding are discussed, and a method is presented for sharing radio spectrum with existing channelized FM systems. A report on the status of the regulatory proceedings is given