An essential overview of satellite communications from the
organization that sets the international standards

Since their introduction in the mid-1960s, satellite communications
have grown from a futuristic experiment into an integral part of
today's "wired world." Satellite communications are at the core of
a global, automatically switched telephony network. Assembled by
the International Telecommunication Union--the international
organization that sets the standards for this rapidly growing
industry--the Handbook on Satellite Communications, Third Edition
brings together basic facts about satellite communications as
related to the fixed-satellite service (FSS). It covers the main
principles, technologies, and operation of equipment in a tutorial
form.

Updated to include the latest technologies and information, the
Third Edition provides both the standards and technical information
needed to implement and interact with satellite communication
systems, including:

* The components and basic characteristics of a satellite
communication system

* Regulatory considerations and system planning

* SDH and ATM satellite transmissions

* Analog and digital baseband signal processing and
multiplexing

* Carrier modulation techniques

* Geostationary and non-geostationary systems

* Interconnection of satellite and terrestrial networks

* LEOS satellite networks and other recent developments

As digital modulation and transmission replace analog techniques,
and as satellites in non-geostationary and lower-altitude orbits
open the way to new applications, satellite communications will
continue to grow in use and importance. Everyone involved in the
administration and operation of satellite communications will find
this a crucial resource.