Future Communication Satellites

TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Soviet radio engineers and communications specialists are studying the optimum relationship between the power of on-board transmitters and the scale of the equipment at ground stations for the reception of information. The greater the power of the on-board transmitter, the simpler are the ground antennas and the receiving equipment. However, this is compensated for by a complication of the satellite and an increase in its weight. Thus, the question of alternative communication distribution systems arises. One alternative is the use of one relatively large antenna along with ground channels as is done in the Orbita system. Another alternative is the use of a more powerful satellite with receivers in each populated place similar to the Indian approach. Both these directions are

Technically feasible. (93)

The latter alternative has been adopted for the Ekran system described earlier and it is arguable that, in some instances, such use might be considered as a direct broadcast system. Moves to use of the higher frequency bands in the West find parallels in Soviet thinking. The Ku-band at 10/15 GHz is specified for the Loutch satellites and, no doubt, research and development at 20/30 GHz is in hand.

DIRECT BROADCAST SATELLITES

Eventually, the power of the on-board transmitters will be increased to sufficient strength for direct television broadcasting from space. However, Soviet views on direct broadcasting from space are ambivalent. They have referred to such plans as means of aggression. They reason that such programming might involve the spread of hostile propaganda and would circumvent the carefully controlled programming now under the jurisdiction of the individual states. These fears inspired a Soviet-sponsored proposal on direct broadcast television satellites which would authorize any receiving nation to destroy or jam the satellite if it judged the broadcast illegal or erroneous. In the draft treaty presented to the United Nations by Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko on October 12, 1972, specific illegal areas would include those that: were detrimental to the maintenance of international peace and security; interfered in intrastate conflicts; encroached on fundamental human rights; presented violent, horror-oriented, pornographic and drug propaganda; were against the foundations of local civilization, culture, mores or traditions; or presented misinformation. The sole judge of the illegality would be the receiver nation. (94)

At the same time the Russians have discussed in glittering generalities the vast potential of direct broadcast from satellites. According to academician Boris Petrov:

Thanks to ... direct transmissions of television programmes through sputniks to conventional television aerials, it will be possible to have a wider dissemination of scientific, medical and health and agricultural knowledge. Space television will become available to the populationeven in the most remote parts of the world. (95)

And, in 1974, Oleg Belotserkovets, rector of the Moscow Technical Institute of Physics, announced:

Soviet specialists have developed devices which will make it possible in the near future to receive television broadcasts from communications satellites directly through house aerials . . . The quality of the broadcasts will improve . . . When this work is completed there will be practically no places left in the country inaccessible to television reception. (96)

One of these "devices" could be the use of nuclear powered broadcasts. In 1972 it was announced that a nuclear power source was successfully tested in one of the Kosmos satellites. More powerful atomic reactors were to be installed on future sputniks which would enable the satellites to transmit a signal of such strength that reception directly on the television set antenna, without previous reinforcement at the Orbita station, would be possible. (97) No indication of the use of nuclear reactor power for such use has yet appeared, such use being solely for the radar ocean surveillance satellites of the Kosmos series.

TRACKING AND DATA RELAY SATELLITE SYSTEMS

Details of an Eastern Satellite Data Relay Network [ESDRN] lodged with the International Frequency Registration Board in 1981 show that the Soviet Union intends to operate a system employing frequencies in the Ku-band similar to the American Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System for communicating with Salyut stations and other spacecraft in low Earth-orbit, commencing no sooner than December 1985.

Data relay satellites are to be positioned at 16° W, and 95° E and Earth stations will be established at Moscow and Khabarovsk.

References:

A. SOVIET SPACE PROGRAMS: 1976-80 (WITH SUPPLEMENTARY DATA THROUGH 1983), UNMANNED SPACE ACTIVITIES, PREPARED AT THE REQUEST OF Hon. JOHN C. DANFORTH, Chairman, COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION, UNITED STATES SENATE, Part 3, MAY 1985, Printed for the use of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, 99th Congress, 1 st. session, COMMITTEE PRINT, S. Prt. 98-235, U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON: 1985

93. Konovalov, B. Lightning-Quick Communication, Izvestiya, Moscow, Dec. 31, 1974, p. 5.

94. Aviation Week & Space Technology, New York, Oct. 23, 1972, p. 20.

95. Pravda, Moscow, Dec. 30, 1969.

96. Oleg Belotserkovets, TASS, Moscow, July 1, 1974, 1205 G.M.T.

97. Moscow Radio, Feb. 7, 1972, 0930 G.M.T.