BROADBAND SATELLITES
Systems Under Development

Introduction

Orbits

GEO Broadband Satellite Systems

GEO Broadband User Terminals

LEO/MEO Broadband Satellite Systems

LEO/MEO Broadband User Terminals

Network Topologies

Bent Pipe Star Topology
Bent Pipe Point to Point Topology
OBP Switching Topology

Systems Under Development
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Systems Under Development

The main satellite systems currently under development are summarised in the tables below.

Broadband Systems
System ARCS Aster (VStar) Astrolink
Operator SES Spectrum Astro Inc Astrolink International
Satellites      
Operational Satellites 2 25 4 with an additional 5 launched later to meet demand
In-orbit Spare Satellite      
Orbit GEO GEO GEO (97° W, 21.5° W, 2° E, 130° E, 175.25° E)
Inclination      
Altitude at Apogee      
Altitude at Perigee      
Intersatellite Links Used no yes yes
On Board Processing no yes yes
Gateways      
Uplink Frequency Ku band V band Ka band
Downlink Frequency Ka band V band Ka band
Uplink Modulation      
Downlink Modulation      
Uplink Access      
Downlink Access      
Uplink Data Rate      
Downlink Data Rate      
No of Gateways     up to 70 per satellite
Terminals      
Uplink Frequency Ka band   Ka band
Downlink Frequency Ku band   Ka band
Uplink Modulation     QPSK
Downlink Modulation     QPSK
Uplink Access     FDMA/TDMA
Downlink Access     TDM
Uplink Data Rate 150 kb/s to 2 Mb/s   to 416 kb/s to 2.1 Mb/s to 10.4 Mb/s
Downlink Data Rate to 45 Mb/s    
Antenna Diameter     0.9 m 1 m 1.8 m
SSPA Power     2 W 12 W 15 W
Services      
System      
Coverage Europe   near global
Status satellites, gateways and terminals being manufactured   FCC issued licence May 1997
System Cost     US$ 3.5 billion
Investment Raised     US$ 1.325 billion
Investors     Liberty Media Group (31.2%)
Lockheed Martin (31.2%)
Telespazio (18.6%)
TRW (18.6%)
First Launch Planned 2000   2003
Operation Planned n/a worldwide 2002 Europe and Americas 2003
worldwide 2004
Notes      

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Broadband Systems
System Boeing CyberStar Echostar
Operator Boeing Loral Echostar
Satellites      
Operational Satellites 20 3 2
In-orbit Spare Satellite      
Orbit LEO GEO (115° W, 93° W, 105.5° E) GEO (121° W, 83° W)
Inclination      
Altitude at Apogee      
Altitude at Perigee      
Intersatellite Links Used   probably yes
On Board Processing   yes yes
Gateways      
Uplink Frequency 2 GHz Ka band Ka band
Downlink Frequency 2 GHz Ka band Ka band
Uplink Modulation      
Downlink Modulation      
Uplink Access      
Downlink Access      
Uplink Data Rate      
Downlink Data Rate      
No of Gateways   96 to 192  
Terminals      
Uplink Frequency 2 GHz Ka band Ka band
Downlink Frequency 2 GHz Ka band Ka band
Uplink Modulation      
Downlink Modulation      
Uplink Access   FDM/TDM  
Downlink Access   TDM  
Uplink Data Rate   384 kb/s to 3.088 Mb/s 384 kb/s to 1.544 Mb/s
Downlink Data Rate   384 kb/s to 3.088 Mb/s 384 kb/s to 1.544 Mb/s
Antenna Diameter   0.7 m  
SSPA Power      
Services      
System      
Coverage   N America, Asia, Europe USA
Status filed at FCC license awarded by FCC license awarded by FCC
System Cost   US$ 1.6 billion US$ 340 million
Investment Raised      
Investors   Loral Space & Communications, Alcatel Alsthom  
First Launch Planned   late 1999  
Operation Planned   2000 2002
Notes   will operate in conjunction with SkyBridge, interconnection will be via gateways  

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Broadband Systems
System EuroSkyWay Eutelsat Expressway
Operator Alenia Spazio Eutelsat Hughes
Satellites      
Operational Satellites 2 with an additional 3 later   14
In-orbit Spare Satellite      
Orbit GEO GEO GEO (10 slots)
Inclination      
Altitude at Apogee      
Altitude at Perigee      
Intersatellite Links Used yes    
On Board Processing yes    
Gateways      
Uplink Frequency Ka band   V and Ku band?
Downlink Frequency Ka band   V and Ku band?
Uplink Modulation      
Downlink Modulation      
Uplink Access      
Downlink Access      
Uplink Data Rate      
Downlink Data Rate      
No of Gateways      
Terminals      
Uplink Frequency Ka band   V and Ku band?
Downlink Frequency Ka band   V and Ku band?
Uplink Modulation      
Downlink Modulation      
Uplink Access      
Downlink Access      
Uplink Data Rate 144 to 2048 kb/s    
Downlink Data Rate 32.768 Mb/s    
Antenna Diameter 0.45 to 0.6 m    
SSPA Power      
Services     high speed data
System      
Coverage global   global
Status     filed at FCC
System Cost US$ 500 million   US$ 3.9 billion
Investment Raised      
Investors Alenia Spazio, ESA   GM Hughes Electronics
First Launch Planned 2001    
Operation Planned Europe and Africa 2001
Americas 2002		    
Notes will probably be withdrawn reported to be stalled because signatories rejected the plans for investment  

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Broadband Systems
System GE*Star Horizons Hughes Link
Operator GE Americom Inmarsat Hughes
Satellites      
Operational Satellites 5 4 15
In-orbit Spare Satellite      
Orbit GEO (105° W, 85° W, 17° W, 56° E, 114.5° E) GEO MEO
Inclination      
Altitude at Apogee      
Altitude at Perigee      
Intersatellite Links Used      
On Board Processing      
Gateways      
Uplink Frequency Ka band    
Downlink Frequency Ka band    
Uplink Modulation      
Downlink Modulation      
Uplink Access      
Downlink Access      
Uplink Data Rate      
Downlink Data Rate      
No of Gateways      
Terminals      
Uplink Frequency Ka band    
Downlink Frequency Ka band 2 GHz  
Uplink Modulation   2 GHz  
Downlink Modulation      
Uplink Access      
Downlink Access      
Uplink Data Rate 384 kb/s to 40 Mb/s to 144 kb/s  
Downlink Data Rate 384 kb/s to 40 Mb/s to 144 kb/s  
Antenna Diameter 0.66 m    
SSPA Power      
Services      
System      
Coverage Americas, Europe, Asia, W Pacific, Caribbean    
Status license awarded by FCC   filed at FCC
System Cost US$ 4 billion    
Investment Raised      
Investors      
First Launch Planned   2001  
Operation Planned 2002    
Notes   all work on Horizon has stopped until Inmarsat privatisation is completed on 1 April 1999  

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Broadband Systems
System Hughes Net Intelsat KaStar
Operator Hughes Intelsat iSky
Satellites      
Operational Satellites 70   2 with 2 additional satellites later
In-orbit Spare Satellite     0
Orbit LEO GEO GEO (109.2° W, 73° W, 52° E, 175° W)
Inclination      
Altitude at Apogee      
Altitude at Perigee      
Intersatellite Links Used     yes
On Board Processing      
Gateways      
Uplink Frequency     Ka band
Downlink Frequency     Ka band
Uplink Modulation      
Downlink Modulation      
Uplink Access      
Downlink Access      
Uplink Data Rate      
Downlink Data Rate      
No of Gateways      
Terminals      
Uplink Frequency     Ka band
Downlink Frequency     Ka band
Uplink Modulation      
Downlink Modulation      
Uplink Access     CDMA, TDMA, hopping beam or FDMA
Downlink Access     CDMA, TDMA, hopping beam or FDMA
Uplink Data Rate     64 kb/s to 1.8 Mb/s
Downlink Data Rate     1.5 Mb/s
Antenna Diameter     0.6 m
SSPA Power      
Services      
System      
Coverage     Americas with first 2 satellites
Status filed at FCC   license awarded by FCC first 2 spacecraft in manufacture
System Cost     US$ 750 for first 2 satellites
Investment Raised     US$ 250
Investors     TV Guide (19%)
Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers(18%)
Liberty Media (17%)
First Launch Planned      
Operation Planned     2000
Notes     will focus on the consumer and SoHo markets

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Broadband Systems
System Ku Band Supplement Morning Star Netsat 28
Operator Teledesic Morning Star Satellite Co Netsat 28 Co
Satellites      
Operational Satellites 30 4 2
In-orbit Spare Satellite      
Orbit MEO GEO (147° W, 62° W, 30° E, 107.5° E) GEO (95° W)
Inclination      
Altitude at Apogee      
Altitude at Perigee      
Intersatellite Links Used      
On Board Processing   no? no
Gateways      
Uplink Frequency Ku band Ka band Ka band
Downlink Frequency Ku band Ka band Ka band
Uplink Modulation      
Downlink Modulation      
Uplink Access      
Downlink Access      
Uplink Data Rate      
Downlink Data Rate      
No of Gateways      
Terminals      
Uplink Frequency Ku band Ka band Ka band
Downlink Frequency Ku band Ku band Ka band
Uplink Modulation   QPSK  
Downlink Modulation   QPSK  
Uplink Access      
Downlink Access      
Uplink Data Rate   56 or 64 kb/s 384 kb/s to 1.544 Mb/s
Downlink Data Rate   30 Mb/s 384 kb/s to 1.544 Mb/s
Antenna Diameter     0.3 m
SSPA Power      
Services      
System      
Coverage   Americas, Europe, Asia, Middle east, Australia, New Zealand Americas
Status filed at FCC license awarded by FCC license awarded by FCC
System Cost     US$ 500 million
Investment Raised      
Investors     EMS Technologies Inc
First Launch Planned      
Operation Planned   2002 2002
Notes      

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Broadband Systems
System New Skies OrbLink Orion
Operator New Skies Orbital Sciences Loral Orion
Satellites      
Operational Satellites   7 8
In-orbit Spare Satellite      
Orbit GEO (95° E, 40.5° W) LEO GEO (89° W, 81° W, 47° W, 78° E, 126.5° E)
Inclination      
Altitude at Apogee   785 km  
Altitude at Perigee   785 km  
Intersatellite Links Used      
On Board Processing     yes
Gateways      
Uplink Frequency     Ka band
Downlink Frequency     Ka band
Uplink Modulation      
Downlink Modulation      
Uplink Access      
Downlink Access      
Uplink Data Rate      
Downlink Data Rate      
No of Gateways      
Terminals      
Uplink Frequency     Ka band
Downlink Frequency     Ka band
Uplink Modulation      
Downlink Modulation      
Uplink Access     FDMA
Downlink Access     TDM
Uplink Data Rate     64 kb/s to 2.048 Mb/s
Downlink Data Rate     155 Mb/s
Antenna Diameter      
SSPA Power      
Services      
System      
Coverage     global
Status   filed at FCC license awarded by FCC
System Cost     US$ 1.66 billion
Investment Raised      
Investors      
First Launch Planned      
Operation Planned     2002
Notes      

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Broadband Systems
System SkyBridge Spaceway Teledesic
Operator Alcatel Hughes Teledesic Corp
Satellites      
Operational Satellites 80 20 8 288
In-orbit Spare Satellite     60?
Orbit LEO MEO GEO (110° W, 99° W, 49° W, 25° E, 54° E, 101° E, 111° E, 149° E, 164° E) LEO
Inclination   55°   98.2°
Altitude at Apogee 1469 km 10352 km   1375 km
Altitude at Perigee 1469 km 10352 km   1375 km
Intersatellite Links Used no yes yes
On Board Processing no yes yes
Gateways      
Uplink Frequency Ku band Ka band Ka band
Downlink Frequency Ku band Ka band Ka band
Uplink Modulation      
Downlink Modulation      
Uplink Access      
Downlink Access      
Uplink Data Rate to 60 Mb/s   155.52 Mb/s to 1.24416 Gb/s
Downlink Data Rate to 2 Mb/s   155.52 Mb/s to 1.24416 Gb/s
No of Gateways up to 200   250 to 600
Terminals      
Uplink Frequency Ku band Ka band Ka band
Downlink Frequency Ku band Ka band Ka band
Uplink Modulation   QPSK  
Downlink Modulation   QPSK  
Uplink Access   FDM/TDMA asynch TDMA
Downlink Access   TDM MF TDMA
Uplink Data Rate 16 kb/s to n x 2 Mb/s 384 kb/s 1.5 Mb/s 6 Mb/s 16 kb/s to 2 Mb/s or 64 Mb/s depending on terminal type
Downlink Data Rate 16 kb/s to n x 20 Mb/s to 108 Mb/s 16 kb/s to 64 Mb/s
Antenna Diameter 0.45 m and 0.7 m 0.66 m 0.3 to 1.5 m
SSPA Power      
Services high speed data telephony, and interactive data and video services. telephony, and interactive data and video services.
System      
Coverage between latitudes 68° N and 68° S global except for parts of Asiatic Russia global
Status filed at FCC license awarded by FCC for GEO satellites license awarded by FCC
System Cost US$ 4.8 billion US$ 3.2 to 6 billion US$ 9 billion
Investment Raised   US$ 1.3 billion US$ 1.5 billion
Investors Alcatel, Boeing, CNES, ComDev, EMS Technologies, ESA, Loral Space and Communications, Mitsubishi Electric, Sharp, SNECMA, Spar, SRIW, Thomson Multimedia, Toshiba Hughes Boeing, Matra Marconi Space, Craig McGraw, Bill Gates, Motorola, Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal
First Launch Planned 2002 2002 2000
Operation Planned 2002 2001 for USA, 2003 rest of world 2003
Notes will operate in conjunction with CyberStar, interconnection will be via gateways   some recent reports suggest that the space segment has been redesigned and now consists of 100 LEO satellites and that operation will not start until 2005

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Broadband Systems
System Thor Virgo VisionStar
Operator Telenor Virtual Geosatellites LLC VisionStar
Satellites      
Operational Satellites   15 1
In-orbit Spare Satellite      
Orbit GEO MEO GEO (113° W)
Inclination   45°  
Altitude at Apogee      
Altitude at Perigee      
Intersatellite Links Used      
On Board Processing   no no
Gateways      
Uplink Frequency   Ku band Ka band
Downlink Frequency   Ku band Ka band
Uplink Modulation      
Downlink Modulation      
Uplink Access      
Downlink Access      
Uplink Data Rate      
Downlink Data Rate      
No of Gateways      
Terminals      
Uplink Frequency   Ku band Ka band
Downlink Frequency   Ku band Ka band
Uplink Modulation      
Downlink Modulation      
Uplink Access      
Downlink Access      
Uplink Data Rate   2 Mb/s  
Downlink Data Rate   2 Mb/s  
Antenna Diameter   0.5 m  
SSPA Power      
Services   high speed Internet access, DTH data, video distribution, video conferencing  
System      
Coverage     USA
Status   filed at FCC license awarded by FCC
System Cost     US$ 207.5 million
Investment Raised      
Investors      
First Launch Planned      
Operation Planned   2002
worldwide 2004		  
Notes      

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Broadband Systems
System VStream West  
Operator PanAmSat    
Satellites      
Operational Satellites 2    
In-orbit Spare Satellite      
Orbit GEO (125° W, 103° W, 58° W, 36° E, 40° E, 48° E, 124.5° E 173° E)    
Inclination      
Altitude at Apogee      
Altitude at Perigee      
Intersatellite Links Used      
On Board Processing no    
Gateways      
Uplink Frequency Ka band    
Downlink Frequency Ka band    
Uplink Modulation      
Downlink Modulation      
Uplink Access      
Downlink Access      
Uplink Data Rate      
Downlink Data Rate      
No of Gateways      
Terminals      
Uplink Frequency Ka band    
Downlink Frequency Ka band    
Uplink Modulation      
Downlink Modulation      
Uplink Access      
Downlink Access      
Uplink Data Rate      
Downlink Data Rate      
Antenna Diameter      
SSPA Power      
Services      
System      
Coverage global    
Status license awarded by FCC    
System Cost US$ 409 million    
Investment Raised      
Investors   Matra Marconi Space, ESA  
First Launch Planned      
Operation Planned 2002    
Notes      

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