Aussat - Australia's communications satellite system

The Aussat program, designed to provide satellite television and telecommunications services to the entire Australian continent, beginning in 1985, is characterized. The primary components of the system are two GEO satellites with one ground backup; a primary control, monitoring, and communications center in Sydney; a secondary control center in Perth; earth stations in eight major cities; and small user-owned earth stations. The satellites will operate in the Ku-band with dual-linear-polarization frequency reuse, providing 11 12-W national-beam channels and four 30-W spot-beam channels. The communications needs to be served by the system, the planned coverage zones, the communications-payload features (frequency and polarization plan, antenna system, TWT amplifiers, and beam connectivity), and the control system are illustrated with diagrams, maps, and drawings and discussed.