Fundamentals of satellites, including: applications, orbits, propagation and link calculations, system hardware for space and ground segments, multiplexing and multiple access techniques, network design, and future trends. Fundamentals of signals and noise associated with satellite communications. Transmission concepts: calculate analogue transmission rates with respect to distortionless transmission, amplitude and delay distortions with equalisation, nonlinear distortion with companding, and carrier-to-noise ratio and signal-to-noise ratio; and calculate digital transmission rates with respect to line codes, intersymbol interference, pulse shaping and equalisation, bit energy-to-noise density and error probabilities.

At the successful completion of this course students
will, be able to:
1. Describe the requirements for the following
aspects of a satellite communications system:
satellite subsystems, satellite orbits, frequency
bands used, antennas and electromagnetic
wave propagation for communications between
earth stations and satellites.
2. Explain the operation of the following analogue
and digital communications techniques:
modulation, multiplexing, channel coding and
multiple access techniques.
3. Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of
the different types of satellite orbits
4. Perform calculations to determine properties of earth station antennas and satellite footprints.
5. Perform calculations required to conduct a link
budget analysis of a satellite system.
6. Conduct a thorough analysis and comparison of
two competing satellite systems.

Distance and Intensive Distance Mode

Test 1 10%
Test 2 10%
Test 3 10%
Assignment 30% 5,000 - 10,000 words
Test 4 40%

Prescribed texts:
M. Ryan, Principles of Satellite Communications,
Argos Press, Canberra, 2004.

Recommended texts:
N/A

Software:
N/A

N/A