SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS – AN OVERVIEW

Satellite Communications (satcom) is a thriving industry, and many global, regional and domestic 
systems are currently providing satcom services throughout the world. This presentation briefly 
traces the development of commercial satcom systems over the last 50 years, and provides an 
overview of the subject for a general audience. It describes some of the existing and proposed 
systems to serve fixed and mobile users, their interaction with terrestrial systems, and the 
basic technologies involved. It concludes with a discussion of financial and regulatory issues, 
and major trends and potential capabilities in the near future.