COMSAT SATELLITE CONTROL NETWORKS

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / September 28-30, 1982 / Sheraton Harbor Island Hotel and Convention Center, San Diego, CaliforniaThe COMSAT family of companies is actively involved in the operation of the Intelsat, COMSAT General, and Satellite Business Systems (SBS) ground networks which currently control twenty-five communications satellites utilizing three control centers and thirteen ground stations with forty-five antennas. Satellites controlled include INTELSAT IV (7), INTELSAT IVA (5), INTELSAT V (4), COMSTAR (4), MARISAT (3), and SBS (2). COMSAT also operates a launch services network consisting of a COMSAT Launch Control Center and Intelsat ground stations, as required, to guide spacecraft to the proper orbit station. Intelsat V flight 4 was launched in March 1982. Two additional Intelsat V’s and one SBS are scheduled for launch this year. The latter will be on the first commercial shuttle mission. The ground control networks contain a commonality traceable to COMSAT’s influence in the design of the satellites and experience in the control of communications satellites dating back to the launch of the Early Bird in 1965. This paper presents an overview of operational and planned networks in which COMSAT plays a significant role.International Foundation for TelemeteringProceedings from the International Telemetering Conference are made available by the International Foundation for Telemetering and the University of Arizona Libraries. Visit http://www.telemetry.org/index.php/contact-us if you have questions about items in this collection