Patrick Sheridan is experiencing technical difficulties... Patrick's thrilled to become a student reporter on a teen news show. But when he leaves his small Texas town for the bright lights of Los Angeles, everything changes. It doesn't take long before Patrick is mingling with the rich and famous and doing all kinds of things he never thought he would -- like cheating on his girlfriend, lying to his parents, and losing his best friend. And by the time he learns that it was his handsome face and not his writing that landed him his new job, he's left to pick up the pieces alone. Hollywood is already full of beautiful people with no talent; how can he prove that he's more? He'll have to start by convincing himself.
An accessible introduction to the practical aspects of satellite communications. Provides historical background of satellite communications and discusses the wide range of applications throughout the world. Includes descriptions of all the commercial satellite communications systems currently available and their applications in government, broadcasting, and business. Also covers the growing use of satellite communications by developing countries. Contains extensive appendices listing satellite equipment and organizations.
Satellites are increasingly used for global communications, as well as for radio and television transmissions. With the growth of mobile communications, and of digital technology, the use of satellite systems is set to expand substantially and already all students of electronics or communications engineering must study the subject.This book steers a middle path between offering a basic understanding of the process of communication by satellite and the methodology used; and the extensive mathematical analysis normally adopted in similar texts. It presents the basic concepts, using as much mathematical content as is necessary to make the process understandable. The principles introduced are backed up by examples of actual applications showing how professional systems engineers have achieved the required system performance capabilities. The practical systems chosen are representative of modern day applications and comprise an international communications system, an international maritime system and a regional system.
Extensive revision of the best-selling text on satellite communications — includes new chapters on cubesats, NGSO satellite systems, and Internet access by satellite There have been many changes in the thirty three years since the first edition of Satellite Communications was published. There has been a complete transition from analog to digital communication systems, withanalog techniques replaced by digital modulation and digital signal processing. While distribution of television programming remains the largest sector of commercial satellite communications, low earth orbit constellations of satellites for Internet access are set to challenge that dominance. In the third edition, chapters one through three cover topics that are specific to satellites, including orbits, launchers, and spacecraft. Chapters four through seven cover the principles of digital communication systems, radio frequency communications, digital modulation and multiple access techniques, and propagation in the earth’s atmosphere, topics that are common to all radio communication systems. Chapters eight through twelve cover applications that include non-geostationary satellite systems, low throughput systems, direct broadcast satellite television, Internet access by satellite, and global navigation satellite systems. The chapter on Internet access by satellite is new to the third edition, and each of the chapters has been extensively revised to include the many changes in the field since the publication of the second edition in 2003. Two appendices have been added that cover digital transmission of analog signals, and antennas. An invaluable resource for students and professionals alike, this book: Focuses on the fundamental theory of satellite communications Explains the underlying principles and essential mathematics required to understand the physics and engineering of satellite communications Discusses the expansion of satellite communication systems in areas such as direct-broadcast satellite TV, GPS, and internet access Introduces the rapidly advancing field of small satellites, referred to as SmallSats or CubeSats Provides relevant practice problems based on real-world satellite systems Satellite Communications is required reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students in satellite communications courses and an authoritative reference for engineers working in communications, systems and networks, and satellite operations and management.
This reader-friendly resource covers the broad spectrum of satellite principles and their associated technologies. While other books limit their coverage to specialized services or to satellite payloads such as communication satellites, Satellite Systems focuses upon the methodology of launching satellites, keeping them there, the environments under which they operate, and other facets particular to their operation. Pattan's detailed, elaborate approach does not assume that the reader is versed in esoteric mathematics. Satellite Systems is specific enough to be a valuable working-tool to scientists and engineers in related fields, yet general enough to be accessible to students and interested lay people. Pattan throughly explores the concepts and technologies of satellite systems in simple, direct terms. Satellite Systems includes precise coverage of: *various orbits and the services they provide *international launch of vehicles and launch sites *phased array antennas for satellite network applications *mobile satellite services from land vehicles, aircraft, and ships *low orbit satellites for telecommunication and position determination applications *international frequency allocations for satellite control, payload management, and status *geometric relationships between satellite and Earth stations used in interference analysis, orbit determination, and location *the hostile environments in which satellites operate and cope *and much more Satellite Systems is a self-contained, extensive introduction that offers professionals and advanced undergraduate and graduate students of satellite systems the tools they need for in-depth understanding of the complexities of the subject. It is ideal as both a reference and a training text for engineers, technicians, communication lawyers, weather professionals, telecommunications experts, students, and anyone interested insatellites and satellite technology.
Fully updated edition of the comprehensive, single-source reference on satellite technology and its applications Covering both the technology and its applications, Satellite Technology is a concise reference on satellites for commercial, scientific and military purposes. The book explains satellite technology fully, beginning by offering an introduction to the fundamentals, before covering orbits and trajectories, launch and in-orbit operations, hardware, communication techniques, multiple access techniques, and link design fundamentals. This new edition also includes comprehensive chapters on Satellite Networks and Satellite Technology – Emerging Trends. Providing a complete survey of applications, from remote sensing and military uses, to navigational and scientific applications, the authors also present an inclusive compendium on satellites and satellite launch vehicles. Filled with diagrams and illustrations, this book serves as an ideal introduction for those new to the topic, as well as a reference point for professionals. Fully updated edition of the comprehensive, single-source reference on satellite technology and its applications - remote sensing, weather, navigation, scientific, and military - including new chapters on Satellite Networks and Satellite Technology – Emerging Trends Covers the full range of satellite applications in remote sensing, meteorology, the military, navigation and science, and communications, including satellite-to-under sea communication, satellite cell-phones, and global Xpress system of INMARSAT The cross-disciplinary coverage makes the book an essential reference book for professionals, R&D scientists and students at post graduate level Companion website provides a complete compendium on satellites and satellite launch vehicles An ideal introduction for Professionals and R&D scientists in the field. Engineering Students. Cross disciplinary information for engineers and technical managers.
Among the space activities of the last three decades satellite communications (SATCOM) has found the widest application in meeting both civil and military communications requirements. Several international, regional and national SATCOM systems of increasing capacity, capability and complexity have been and are being implemented over the years. The latest versions are utilizing such concepts as spot beams, processing transponders in SS-TDMA and operations in different frequency bands including the EHF band. On the military side, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, France and NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) have been the only owners and operators of military SATCOM systems in the West. The systems in being and under development use satellites and ground terminals with characteristics which differ from the civilian ones with respect to frequency bands utilised and survivability and interoperability. The SATCOM has given the military users the potential of having much-needed mobility, flexibility and survivability in strategic and tactical communications for land, sea and air operations. It must, however, be said particularly for the military SATCOM systems that they have been evolved in big jumps, both in time and capability, each jump involving the deployment of two or three often specially designed large satellites, large expenses and rather traumatic transition between jumps. Despite these undesirable features these systems did not have the required degree of suevivability and flexibility.
