INTELSAT and Telespazio upgrade of ground facilities to support the launch of satellites in Ku and BSS frequency bands

The INTELSAT ground network includes three Ku-Band Full Performance Antennas (KFPAs) at Beijing, China; Fucino, Italy; and Clarksburg, Maryland. However, these antennas are currently not capable of tracking satellites in geostationary transfer orbit. By upgrading the tracking capability of the three KFPAs, it will be possible to extend the launch support capability of the INTELSAT ground network to other frequency bands. In the Ku-Band, the extended transmit frequency range was specified and the Broadcast Satellite Service (BSS) transmit band was selected based on customer demand. This paper discusses the technical aspects of the antenna enhancements with an emphasis on the particular method used by Vertex Antenna Systems (division of Vertex Communications Corporation) in California, for monopulse tracking, the consequence of adding transmit BSS band capability, and a description of site-specific elements of the enhancements and testing. INTELSAT and Telespazio will jointly market the new launch and In-Orbit Test (IOT) services