Major contribution of MARECS-A to the maritime communications
Abstract
MARECS-A, a maritime communications satellite launched by ESA in December, 1981, as a transponder for the INMARSAT program, is characterized, and the results of in-orbit testing are reported. The 6.42/1.54-GHz shore-to-ship transponder, the 1.64/4.2-GHz ship-to-shore transponder, the 10-module, 18-dBw solid-state L-band power amplifier, and the 2-m, front-fed, profiled-dish L-band receive/transmit antenna are described. The amplifier and antenna had to be redesigned and extensively ground tested to eliminate passive intermodulation products generated in the circuitry. The results of inorbit tests performed from the Payload Test Laboratory at Villafranca are presented in a table. Performance was at least as good as specified in all cases, and Atlantic traffic was transferred from MARISAT to MARECS-A on May 1, 1982. Daily testing since then has revealed no adverse trends.
- Publication:
-
Budapest International Astronautical Federation Congress
- Pub Date:
- October 1983
- Bibcode:
- 1983buda.iafcS....C
- Keywords:
-
- Marecs Maritime Satellites;
- Mobile Communication Systems;
- Onboard Equipment;
- Communication Satellites;
- Flight Tests;
- Microwave Antennas;
- Satellite Antennas;
- Spacecraft Performance;
- Transponders;
- Ultrahigh Frequencies;
- Communications and Radar