Optimizing number of spots and cluster size of a high‐throughput communication satellite payload

Abstract

SummaryIn this paper, the number of spots and cluster size of a high‐throughput satellite (HTS) is optimized by minimizing the satellite mass in the conceptual design phase. An innovative procedure for deriving the total mass of the payload and relevant power supply subsystem as a function of the number of spots and cluster size is presented. For estimating the size and electrical power consumption, the general block diagram of an HTS payload is planned. A direct radiating phased array as the multiple‐beam antenna is used, and its synthesis technique is described briefly. Accordingly, the number of subarrays and elements in each subarray as functions of the number of spots are derived in the presence of orthogonal beams while neglecting the grating lobes. A block diagram for the new generation HTS payloads with digital signal processors for beam forming and data regeneration is presented. The procedure for determining the number of spots and cluster size is extended to the new generation very HTSs with 100 s Gbps link capacity. Conceptual design examples of HTSs with microwave beam forming network and transparent transponder in C‐band, Ka‐band, and for very HTSs with digital beam forming network and regenerative transponder in Ka‐band are provided.