GeostationaryEarthOrbit (GEO): High altitudes of about 35786 km over the equator to secure communications, the Internet and satellite radio and television.
Medium Earth Orbit (MEO): Altitude (2000-35000 km) for services including GPS and navigation.
Low Earth Orbit (LEO): altitude (160-2000 km). The satellites in this orbit navigate the Earth and pass from the orbit of the North Pole to the South and cross the equator several times a day along with the same angle regarding the sun.
Components of the satellite system
First- Orbital location
The important orbit for the Iraqi satellite project is Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO). The satellite is dedicated to the provision of commercial satellite communications services, namely Fixed Satellite Service (FSS), which consists of Internet services, telephone, …. etc, BroadcastSatellite Service (BSS),Mobile Satellite Services (MSS), and government space communications services.
Because of the importance of these services, there has been an increasing demand to reserve positionson this orbit (GEO) for the development of the satellite, which has led to the occupancy of this orbit at a high rate. This led the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to regulate, supervise and control satellite positionson this orbit.
This organization includes:
Position of the satellite in the orbit for optimal investment (on the fixed orbit of non-conflict among satellites).
The allocation of frequency bands (C, Ku, Ka ... .etc) and the capacity of the channels in them for non-interference in the frequencies of the beams regarding the ascending and descending satellite channels for the one satellite as well as between the neighboring satellites.
• Identifying the type of services (FSS, BSS, MSS), coverage area (foot print) and signal strength.
Second - The satellite components:
1- 1. External frame :
It is the outer shell of the satellite or the basic structure that contains all the equipment of the satellite.
2- 2. Communication Modules
Antennas, which are different types of air dishes depending on the types of frequencies.
Repeaters and amplifiers, receiving and re-transmitting signals to and from ground stations at different radio frequencies.
Transponders, which are satellite channels that allocate the frequency packets and re-transmit them.
3- 3. Equipment and Service of the satellite
Arms of solar cells and batteries for the processing of electrical energy.
Fuel tanks push to put the satellite in the final site on orbit after being delivered by launch rockets, and to correct the location during the lifetime of the satellite and thenfinally using the remain of this fuel to remove the satellite from its orbital position after the end of the satellite life time.
Position correction fuel to maintain the tilt angle of the satellite and to control the satellite from the ground control station.
Third- Telemetry Telecommunication Center(TTC)
The earth station that monitors and controls the satellite to maintain its orbital position by running the maneuvering motors to correct the location and path of the satellite within the three-dimensions, and to monitor the performance of all navigational systems of the satellite and the services. This requires at least two main stations for each satellite.
Forth-Tele-network management system (Teleport(
It is a central ground station whose function is managing and controlling over the capacities of the transponders. It contains several antennas that are directed according to the satellites that are working with them.The Tele-network management system is connected to the infrastructure of the communication networks.