Intelsat architectures for the 1990s

Architectures for three generations of communications satellites following Intelsat VI have been synthesized. Capacities up to 480,000 channels are envisioned. The evolution involves phased introduction of the K(a) band and beam hopping as well as use of binary satellite clusters. The use of wider bandwidth transponders (160 and 240 MHz) will increase specific communications capacity from 34 channels/kg in Intelsat VI to 106-134 channels/kg in Intelsat VIII. Two versions of Intelsat VIII have been considered: 240,000 channels and 480,000 channels. The use of binary clusters of 240,000-channel, 2273-kg Intelsat VIII satellites may have certain system advantages in the AOR Primary and Major Path roles. The 480,000-channel, 3582-kg version maximizes channels per kilogram in orbit. A five-to-one reduction in space segment cost per channel can be expected between 1986 and 1997.