English

System analysis of a tactical multi-satellite communication system

Initial design study of a low altitude satellite (LASAT) communication system is performed. The use of many inexpensive low-altitude satellites in random orbits may be a solution to vulnerability of current military communication systems. Statistical study of orbit characteristics is performed giving the mean number of satellites in view of a ground station and the coverage density of the satellite array. Waveform analysis is performed on a coded and uncoded, orthogonal, noncoherent, fast-frequency-hopped M-ary frequency-shift-keyed signal in a Rician fading channel with optimum partial band jamming. An analytical expression for the system probability of bit error is obtained and numerical results are generated for various levels of fading, jamming and diversity. Forward error correction coding is applied using convolutional codes and Reed-Solomon codes.

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