The Development of Global Satellite Telecommunications

The development of a global satellite communications network is discussed. Telstar was the first satellite equipped to boost signals from earth before retransmission. In Aug. 1964, the Intelsat organization was formed with 11 member nations, a number which has increased to over 100, each holding at least a 0.05% share. Rapidly increasing demand has encouraged evolutionary, expansion-oriented changes in a series of Intelsat spacecraft. The latest, Intelsat V, is 3-axis stabilized, weighs 1000 kg, and features a 1.2 kW solar panel power supply. The satellites operate from GEO on bandwidths ranging from 34-241 MHz using 27 transponder channels. Nine series Vs will be in service by 1983, and will be followed by six V-A series satellites carrying 15,000 voice circuits each. Intelsat VI satellites, with 35,000 voice circuits apiece, will be launched by 1987. A European Communications Satellite system is under development, and will feature TDMA and frequency reuse over 12-13,000 channels and two or three television channels. There are currently 325 Intelsat ground stations, and individual user antennas are being marketed.