G.L.

Bajaj Institute of Technology & Management, Greater Noida

Electronics and Communication Engg. Deptt.(2009-10)
Satellite Communications TEC-024
Tutorial - 1

1. Describe briefly the main advantages offered by satellite communications. Explain what is
meant by distance-insensitive communications systems. Also state briefly the areas of
application for which you feel that satellite system is best suited.
2. What are the Kepler’s three law of planetary motion? Give the mathematical formulation of
Kepler’s third law of planetary motion. What do the terms perigee and apogee mean when
used to describe the orbit of a satellite orbiting the earth?
3. What are the differences between a geosynchronous satellite and a geostationary satellite
orbit? What is the period of a geostationary satellite? What is the name given to this orbital
period? What is the velocity of a geostationary satellite in its orbit?
4. A satellite is in a 322-km high circular orbit. Determine:
a.) The orbital angular velocity in radius per second;
b.) The orbital period in minutes; and
c.) The orbital velocity in meters per second.
5. A low earth orbit satellite is in a circular polar orbit with an altitude, h, of 1000 km. A
transmitter on the satellite has a frequency of 2.65 Ghz. Find
a.) The velocity of the satellite in orbit.
b.) The component of velocity towards an observer at an earth station as the
satellite appears over the horizon, for an observer who is in the plane of
the satellite orbit.
c.) Hence, find the Doppler shift of the received signal at the earth station.
Use a mean earth radius value, re, of 6378 km.
The satellite also carries a Ka-band transmitter at 20.0 GHz.
d.) Find the Doppler shift for this signal when it is received by the same
observer.
6. Calculate the semimajor axis for the satellite parameter (mean motion is 14.22296917 day-1
)
7. Calculate the apogee and perigee heights for the orbital parameters; e = 0.0011501, a =
7192.3 km. Assume a mean earth radius of 6371 km.
8. A satellite is orbiting in the equatorial plane with a period from perigee of 12h. Given that
the eccentricity is 0.002, calculate the semimajor axis. The earth equatorial radius is
6378.1414 km.
9. A satellite has the following parameters: perigee height 462 km; apogee height 40,850 km;
period 736 min; inclination 63.435o Using an average value of 6371 km for the earth’s
radius, calculate:
a.) semi major axis
b.) eccentricity
c.) nominal mean motion
d.) mean motion
e.) Using the calculated value for a, calculate the anomalistic period and
compare with the specified value calculate.
f.) The rate of regression of nodes
g.) The rate of rotation of the line of upsides
10. Calculate the radius of a circular orbit for which the period is 1 –day.
11. Briefly describe the following terms:
a.) Inclination
b.) Mean anomaly
c.) True anomaly
d.) Apogee
e.) Perigee
12. .The earth rotates once per sidereal day of 23 h 56 min 4.09 s. show that the radius of GEO
is 42164.17 km.