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At least 1,045 records · Page 58
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1993

Transmission over EHF mobile satellite channels

Land mobile satellite communications at Ka-band (30/20 GHz) are attracting an increasing interest among researchers because of the frequency band availability and the possibility of small earth station designs. However, communications at the Ka-band pose significant challenges in the system designs due to severe channel impairments. Because only very limited experimental data for mobile applications at Ka-band is available, this paper studies the channel characteristics based on experimental data at L-band (1.6/1.5 GHz) and the use of frequency scaling. The land mobile satellite communication channel at Ka-band is modelled as log-normal Rayleigh fading channel. The first and second-order statistics of the fading channel are studied. The performance of a coherent BPSK system over the fading channel at L-band and K-band is evaluated theoretically and validated by computer simulations. Conclusions on the communication channel characteristics and system performance at L-band and Ka-band are presented.

Zhuang, W.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Modeling Ka-band low elevation angle propagation statistics

The statistical variability of the secondary atmospheric propagation effects on satellite communications cannot be ignored at frequencies of 20 GHz or higher, particularly if the propagation margin allocation is such that link availability falls below 99 percent. The secondary effects considered in this paper are gaseous absorption, cloud absorption, and tropospheric scintillation; rain attenuation is the primary effect. Techniques and example results are presented for estimation of the overall combined impact of the atmosphere on satellite communications reliability. Statistical methods are employed throughout and the most widely accepted models for the individual effects are used wherever possible. The degree of correlation between the effects is addressed and some bounds on the expected variability in the combined effects statistics are derived from the expected variability in correlation. Example estimates are presented of combined effects statistics in the Washington D.C. area of 20 GHz and 5 deg elevation angle. The statistics of water vapor are shown to be sufficient for estimation of the statistics of gaseous absorption at 20 GHz. A computer model based on monthly surface weather is described and tested. Significant improvement in prediction of absorption extremes is demonstrated with the use of path weather data instead of surface data.

Russell, Thomas A.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Results of Evaluation of Solar Thermal Propulsion

The solar thermal propulsion evaluation reported here relied on prior research for all information on solar thermal propulsion technology and performance. Sources included personal contacts with experts in the field in addition to published reports and papers. Mission performance models were created based on this information in order to estimate performance and mass characteristics of solar thermal propulsion systems. Mission analysis was performed for a set of reference missions to assess the capabilities and benefits of solar thermal propulsion in comparison with alternative in-space propulsion systems such as chemical and electric propulsion. Mission analysis included estimation of delta V requirements as well as payload capabilities for a range of missions. Launch requirements and costs, and integration into launch vehicles, were also considered. The mission set included representative robotic scientific missions, and potential future NASA human missions beyond low Earth orbit. Commercial communications satellite delivery missions were also included, because if STP technology were selected for that application, frequent use is implied and this would help amortize costs for technology advancement and systems development. A C3 Topper mission was defined, calling for a relatively small STP. The application is to augment the launch energy (C3) available from launch vehicles with their built-in upper stages. Payload masses were obtained from references where available. The communications satellite masses represent the range of payload capabilities for the Delta IV Medium and/or Atlas launch vehicle family. Results indicated that STP could improve payload capability over current systems, but that this advantage cannot be realized except in a few cases because of payload fairing volume limitations on current launch vehicles. It was also found that acquiring a more capable (existing) launch vehicle, rather than adding an STP stage, is the most economical in most cases.

Woodcock, Gordon↗
NASA NTRS1993

The possibilities for mobile and fixed services in the 20/30 GHz frequency bands

With the wide range of services now offered by satellite communications and broadcasting and the increasing trend towards small terminal systems, the traditional distinctions between fixed and mobile services are becoming less important. In the future mobile, portable, and fixed services may well operate side by side in a hybrid manner. This trend is already apparent in Europe where extensive use is being made of the fixed service frequency allocations for broadcasting and for mobile services. Similarly many ostensibly mobile terminals are serving fixed installations. Although the immediate future of mobile satellite communications continues to lie in the L-band frequency allocations, in the longer term the 20/30 GHz frequency allocations, offer the possibility of a new beginning where the advantages of hybrid systems can be included in the overall system designs at the outset. The experience gained using 20/30 GHz within the Olympus Utilization program and the likely demands for future services to highlight the most promising avenues for future system development are addressed.

Hughes, C. D.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Electrostatic Plasma Accelerator (EPA)

The application of electric propulsion to communications satellites, however, has been limited to the use of hydrazine thrusters with electric heaters for thrust and specific impulse augmentation. These electrothermal thrusters operate at specific impulse levels of approximately 300 s with heater powers of about 500 W. Low power arcjets (1-3 kW) are currently being investigated as a way to increase specific impulse levels to approximately 500 s. Ion propulsion systems can easily produce specific impulses of 3000 s or greater, but have yet to be applied to communications satellites. The reasons most often given for not using ion propulsion systems are their high level of overall complexity, low thrust with long burn times, and the difficulty of integrating the propulsion system into existing commercial spacecraft busses. The Electrostatic Plasma Accelerator (EPA) is a thruster concept which promises specific impulse levels between low power arcjets and those of the ion engine while retaining the relative simplicity of the arcjet. The EPA thruster produces thrust through the electrostatic acceleration of a moderately dense plasma. No accelerating electrodes are used and the specific impulse is a direct function of the applied discharge voltage and the propellant atomic mass.

Brophy, John R.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Arcjet system integration development

Compatibility between an arcjet propulsion system and a communications satellite was verified by testing a Government-furnished, 1.4 kW hydrazine arcjet system with the FLTSATCOM qualification model satellite in a 9.1-meter (30-foot) diameter thermal-vacuum test chamber. Background pressure was maintained at 10(exp -5) torr during arcjet operation by cryopumping the thruster exhaust with an array of 5 K liquid helium cooled panels. Power for the arcjet system was obtained from the FLTSATCOM battery simulator. Spacecraft telemetry was monitored during each thruster firing period. No changes in telemetry data attributable to arcjet operation were detected in any of the tests. Electromagnetic compatibility data obtained included radiated emission measurements, conducted emission measurements, and cable coupling measurements. Significant noise was observed at lower frequencies. Above 500 MHz, radiated emissions were generally within limits, indicating that communication links at S-band and higher frequencies will not be affected. Other test data taken with a diagnostic array of calorimeters, radiometers, witness plates, and a residual gas analyzer evidenced compatible operation, and added to the data base for arcjet system integration. Two test series were conducted. The first series only included the arcjet and diagnostic array operating at approximately 0.1 torr background pressure. The second series added the qualification model spacecraft, a solar panel, and the helium cryopanels. Tests were conducted at 0.1 torr and 10(exp-5) torr. The arcjet thruster was canted 20 degrees relative to the solar panel axis, typical of the configuration used for stationkeeping thrusters on geosynchronous communications satellites.

Zafran, Sidney↗
NASA NTRS1971

A multiple-beam spherical reflector antenna

A spherical reflector with multiple feeds is considered for application in communications satellite systems. Data are presented which show that spherical reflectors possessing relatively high gain (40 db) and very small phase path error are feasible. A design of a spherical reflector utilizing corrugated horn feeds is considered. Radiation patterns are computed using the physical-optics technique. The designed antenna is approximately 60 lambda in diameter. Calculations performed for this antenna with three beams indicate that each beam has a gain of about 42 db, a beamwidth of 1.4 deg, and sidelobes that can be expected to be at least 28 db down. These results indicate that the feature of low sidelobes makes the spherical reflector a consideration for a multiple-beam communications satellite antenna.

Woo, R.↗
NASA NTRS1991

National transportable telecommunications capability

The chance to integrate two emerging telecommunications technologies together, the Ku-band satellite communication (SATCOM) and cellular, offered the unique opportunity to package a truly stand-alone capability to reconstitute telecommuications service. Terrestrial cellular telephone services have proven to be an essential tool for dealing with local emergencies to the extent that they survive and remain operable, as in the San Francisco earthquake. Cellular telephones can provide emergency coordinators the flexibility of wireless mobility in the field via the Public Switched Network (PSN) to coordinate emergency services. However, not all areas are covered by cellular service; existing cellular and PSN service availability could be limited by the congestion and competition for the dial tone that occurs in emergencies. It was realized that a critical need exists for a rapidly deployable stand-alone cellular capability coupled with alternate connectivity to bypass congested or damaged PSN links. Existing commercial Ku-band satellite communications have provided alternate routing links in some cases to support emergency communications. An emergency operational capability was conceived that integrates these technologies into a rapidly deployable and transportable package that provides both local and long distance telephone services to an area that has suffered widespread telecommunications outages or has been totally isolated from the world.

Boheim, Kenneth B.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Status of xenon ion propulsion technology

This paper describes a working-model xenon ion propulsion subsystem (XIPS) designed for north-south stationkeeping (NSSK) of 2500-kg-class geosynchronous communication satellites. The XIPS consists of a 25-cm-diameter laboratory-model thruster, a breadboard-model power supply, and a flight-prototype pressure regulator (the critical component of the pressure-regulated xenon feed system). With a thrust of 63.5 mN, specific impulse of 2800 sec, and thruster efficiency of 65 percent, the XIPS performance is believed to be the highest ever reported for an ion thruster operated at 1.3-kW input power. The XIPS power supply accepts an input power of about 1.4 kW from a 28- to 35-V bus and converts it into the seven outputs required for startup and operation of the thruster. The simplified power supply contains only about 500 parts and has demonstrated an unprecedented efficiency of 90 percent and a specific mass of about 8 kg/kW. The results of a highly successful wear-mechanism test in which the working-model XIPS was operated for 4350 hours and 3850 ON/OFF cycles are presented. These hours and cycles are equivalent to over ten years of NSSK on large communication satellites.

Beattie, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Accurate Time-Dependent Traveling-Wave Tube Model Developed for Computational Bit-Error-Rate Testing

The phenomenal growth of the satellite communications industry has created a large demand for traveling-wave tubes (TWT's) operating with unprecedented specifications requiring the design and production of many novel devices in record time. To achieve this, the TWT industry heavily relies on computational modeling. However, the TWT industry's computational modeling capabilities need to be improved because there are often discrepancies between measured TWT data and that predicted by conventional two-dimensional helical TWT interaction codes. This limits the analysis and design of novel devices or TWT's with parameters differing from what is conventionally manufactured. In addition, the inaccuracy of current computational tools limits achievable TWT performance because optimized designs require highly accurate models. To address these concerns, a fully three-dimensional, time-dependent, helical TWT interaction model was developed using the electromagnetic particle-in-cell code MAFIA (Solution of MAxwell's equations by the Finite-Integration-Algorithm). The model includes a short section of helical slow-wave circuit with excitation fed by radiofrequency input/output couplers, and an electron beam contained by periodic permanent magnet focusing. A cutaway view of several turns of the three-dimensional helical slow-wave circuit with input/output couplers is shown. This has been shown to be more accurate than conventionally used two-dimensional models. The growth of the communications industry has also imposed a demand for increased data rates for the transmission of large volumes of data. To achieve increased data rates, complex modulation and multiple access techniques are employed requiring minimum distortion of the signal as it is passed through the TWT. Thus, intersymbol interference (ISI) becomes a major consideration, as well as suspected causes such as reflections within the TWT. To experimentally investigate effects of the physical TWT on ISI would be prohibitively expensive, as it would require manufacturing numerous amplifiers, in addition to acquiring the required digital hardware. As an alternative, the time-domain TWT interaction model developed here provides the capability to establish a computational test bench where ISI or bit error rate can be simulated as a function of TWT operating parameters and component geometries. Intermodulation products, harmonic generation, and backward waves can also be monitored with the model for similar correlations. The advancements in computational capabilities and corresponding potential improvements in TWT performance may prove to be the enabling technologies for realizing unprecedented data rates for near real time transmission of the increasingly larger volumes of data demanded by planned commercial and Government satellite communications applications. This work is in support of the Cross Enterprise Technology Development Program in Headquarters' Advanced Technology & Mission Studies Division and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research Small Business Technology Transfer programs.

Kory, Carol L.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Design and implementation of an experiment scheduling system for the ACTS satellite

The Advanced Communication Technology Satellite (ACTS) was launched on the 12th of September 1993 aboard STS-51. All events since that time have proceeded as planned with user operations commencing on December 6th, 1993. ACTS is a geosynchronous satellite designed to extend the state of the art in communication satellite design and is available to experimenters on a 'time/bandwidth available' basis. The ACTS satellite requires the advance scheduling of experimental activities based upon a complex set of resource, state, and activity constraints in order to ensure smooth operations. This paper describes the software system developed to schedule experiments for ACTS.

Ringer, Mark J.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Design guide for low cost standardized payloads, volume 2

Sixteen engineering approaches to low cost standardized payloads in spacecraft are presented. Standard earth observatory satellite, standard U.S. domestic communication satellite, planetary spacecraft subsystems, standard spacecraft, and cluster spacecraft are reviewed.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1972

The liquid metal slip ring experiment for the communications technology satellite

The experiment is designed to demonstrate liquid metal slip ring (LMSR) performance in a space environment. An evaluation was made of the features of the LMSR where improvement in performance over conventional slip rings was expected. The primary measurements to be made in the experiment will allow a determination of the slip ring electrical resistance, between ring insulation and ring cleanliness.

Lovell, R. R.↗
NASA NTRS1972

The liquid metal slip ring experiment for the Communications Technology Satellite.

Description of an experiment designed to demonstrate liquid metal slip ring (LMSR) performance in a space environment. The experiment, based on currently developed LMSR technology, is to make possible an evaluation of those features of a LMSR where improvement in performance over conventional slip rings might be feasible. The experiment-prompting, potential LMSR advantages include: lower electrical noise, higher current capability, higher voltage capability, longer life, and small variation in friction torque.

Lovell, R. R.↗