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SLM-3650 Satellite Modem
Operation
3.7.1
Buffer Size
The depth of the receive buffer will depend on four parameters:
•
Doppler shift caused by satellite
•
Stability of each clock (plesiochronous/Doppler operation)
•
Frame/Multiframe length of multiplexed data format
•
Allowable time between clock slips
3.7.1.1
Doppler
A geostationary satellite should be positioned directly over the equator and orbit with a
duration of 24 hours. In practice, the exact inclination of the satellite (relative to the
equator) is influenced by the earth, moon, and sun's gravity, as well as solar wind.
Station keeping motors are required to maintain the orbital position.
When viewed from the earth, the satellite appears to prescribe and ellipse in space,
degrading to a "figure 8" as the angle of inclination increases.
The orbit of the satellite can result in a peak-to-peak altitude variation of ± 2% (85 km),
while the station keeping of a newly launched satellite will typically be ± 0.1 ° (150 km).
The total effect will be 172 km relative to the nominal 42,164 km radius.
Depending upon the location of the earth station relative to the satellite, the variation in
propagation delay will typically be 1.15 ms (up to satellite and back down), therefore a
buffer depth of 2 ms is sufficient to cope with most commercial satellites.
Since station keeping involves using fuel in the motors, the "lifetime" of the satellite can
be extended by allowing the satellite to drift into a wider "figure 8" and using the motor
less often.
The older satellites will be found in a more inclined orbit with the station keeping varying
in latitude by as much as ± 4 ° . The total effect of the inclined orbit may result in a typical
variation in path delay of 35 ms.
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3–97
Revision 3
MN/SLM3650.IOM
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