Learning about satellites

[tjones9163]

I know this is off topic from, but I know many of the members of this community have lots of experience in different areas of electronics.
I am trying to learn more about satellites and I cant which books on eBay or amazon are for beginners or advanced.
Does anyone know any good references or books to learn about satellites for beginners?

 

[USAFRet]

"satellites " is a very broad topic.

Launching, maintain in orbit, comm, optics, up/downlink, etc, etc.
All handled by different parts of the team.

What realm might you be interested in?

 

[tjones9163]

Maybe something that explains the different parts that make up a satellite like you said and explains generally how each part operates

 

[USAFRet]

Maybe something that explains the different parts that make up a satellite like you said and explains generally how each part operates

Presumably you know about NASA, right?
https://www.nasa.gov/topics/technology/index.html

 

[mdd1963]

Satellite Communications are infinitely more advanced now than even 35 years ago when all I had to worry about was whether WB secure voice (KY58) worked, or whether or not the AN/UYA-7 via AFSATCOM worked at a paltry 50-75 bps..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFO_(satellite)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wideband_Global_SATCOM

Now even quite a few aircraft have 5-10 Mbps connectivity, although this can be spotty in tight aircraft turns due to satellite angle of elevation antenna reception angles relative to aircraft bank angle, etc...

 

[jsmithepa]

Somebody explain to me why airlines can provide over-the-ocean Internet but doesn't seem to be able to track aircraft more or less on real time (lost Malaysian plane). Hey is satellite related right

 

[USAFRet]

Somebody explain to me why airlines can provide over-the-ocean Internet but doesn't seem to be able to track aircraft more or less on real time (lost Malaysian plane). Hey is satellite related right

The sat beaming a signal to or near the surface is not location specific. It simply beams over a wide area, and whatever is in range picks it up.

Actual location tracking is much more difficult.


I have a standalone Magellan GPS in my truck. Speaks to several satellites at the same time.
Knows which end of the house I'm in.
The satellites, however...have no idea.

 

[jsmithepa]

I have a standalone Magellan GPS in my truck. Speaks to several satellites at the same time.
Knows which end of the house I'm in.
The satellites, however...have no idea.

Not sure if I get the gist.

So your truck "knows"where it is. So now it just need to send that info to the communication (not GPS) sat. what is the prob?

 

[USAFRet]

So now it just need to send that info to the communication (not GPS) sat. what is the prob?

For all the aircraft in the air.

I imagine it is being worked on. But it is not a simple task.

 

[jsmithepa]

I imagine it is being worked on. But it is not a simple task.

Call me cynical, I think if they adopt that capability, it opens up the airlines for further potential liability.

 

[USAFRet]

Call me cynical, I think if they adopt that capability, it opens up the airlines for further potential liability.

Soon:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-26544554

New satellite network will make it impossible for a commercial airplane to vanish

Currently, planes are largely tracked by radar on the ground, which doesn't work over much of the world's oceans

www.cbsnews.com