Multiservices Telecom 1 and follow-on systems

An overview of the Telecom 1 multiservices network is presented, including technical characteristics of the existing system, and constraints and possibilities of a follow-on system. Terrestrial, satellite, and maintenance networks comprise the system. System supervision and management are performed at the system management center. Parameters of the operational satellite include a north-south, east-west accuracy of + or - 0.05 deg, five 36 MHz bandwidth transponders in the 14/12 GHz bands for business communications links, and 3.5 m diameter antennas for access to small earth stations. A proposed follow-on system must consider limited changes of the existing network, traffic requirements, and frequency and orbit resources. In addition, two additional stages are present on the proposed follow-on system, and earth segment additions include the use of spot beams and the use of a switching matrix. Finally, if expected demand growth occurs, modifications will have to accommodate the use of the 30/20 GHz bands.