Satellite applications

There are various kinds of satellites, with different fields of application:

  •  Communication satellites: television, radio, telephony, broadband, mobile telephony 
  •  Navigation satellites: GPS positioning 
  •  Meteorological satellites: weather forecasting 
  •  Earth resources satellites: maps, harvest forecasting, oil spills 
  •  Scientific satellites: investigation of the ozone layer, the atmosphere, etc.

 

Some examples of fields of application for the communication satellites are given below.
To read more about the other types of satellites and their applications visit www.satellite.se

 

Communication satellites

  • A significant proportion of the satellite capacity used for communication purposes is occupied by television channels. In 2003, the major players in the USA, DirecTV and Echostar, together reached over 18 million households. In the United Kingdom, BSkyB reaches almost 7 million households. Since satellite systems have access to ample bandwidth, it is easy to introduce new television services such as HDTV (high-definition television).
  • Satellite telephones can be used in areas where there is no other coverage, for example when reporting from war zones. 
  • Television channels and production companies transmitting from war zones and disaster areas use satellites, since they are often the only solution where there is no infrastructure or where it has been destroyed. 
  • When new films are premiered, there are usually only a few copies. This means that it is costly to send the various copies all over the country, and that many places have to wait a long time to see new films. Satellites can be used to distribute new films quickly and simply to cinemas all over the country and above all the cost of distribution can be drastically reduced. This will be possible when cinemas have switched to using digital projectors, which are already in use on a small scale.
  • Large, directly-transmitted events with millions of viewers are commonly distributed by satellite all over the world. Examples of this are the Eurovision Song Contest and sports events such as World Championships and the Olympic Games.
  • Companies and private individuals based in areas where land-based broadband is not accessible use satellites for their internet connections. Broadband via satellite can provide a one-way or a two-way connection.
  • Companies that need access to high-speed internet at a certain location for a limited time can use mobile internet via satellite. This may be useful in connection with time-limited events such as trade fairs, since it allows companies to set up entire networks quickly and simply at a reasonable cost via fast broadband access.
  • Multinational companies with offices in developing countries with inadequate infrastructure use satellites for internal communications.
  • With a satellite connection it is now possible to access the internet on the train, on ships and in aircraft. For people who travel a lot and who work on the move it is valuable to have access to the internet on their journeys.

Sirius4_72.jpg
 SIRIUS 4 Communication satellite
 (photo credit: Lockheed Martin Corporation)