Intelsat TDMA link design and transmission simulation

This paper addresses the key factors involved in the transmission design of the Intelsat time-division multiple-access (TDMA) system. Linear channel analysis was supplemented with computer and laboratory hardware simulation to evaluate the impairments arising in the actual nonlinear channel. The required system performance standards, a historical review of the system constraints, a transmission model, link budgets, and a detailed discussion of the significant individual link impairments and their evaluation are presented. The simulation data thus obtained should enable system engineers to assess the Intelsat V/VI performance under a wide variety of operational conditions.