Tweet
What has a satellite on the inside?
A machine that costs about 300 million euros, which also has the distinction of not being able to repair in case of failure, means having the latest technology on board. A satellite must be self sufficient at any stage of life, both technically and energetically. In fact, the energy to move which sets the duration that may have a satellite. Normally, about 15 years.
What is the key technology to work? In this installment we will see each one of the most important parts of a satellite, from the payload .... to the bus, what their basic functions and what role they play in the overall operation of the machine. Remember that the satellites acting as "repeaters" and is basically signal that its function, so its most basic operations, without going into technical details, you will see that it is easy to understand.
There are many critical parts when there dde build a satellite. The inability to repair as we have never discussed and subjected to a physical violence in their first moments of life make the inside of this machine should be very robust and almost all parts are redundant, to have alternative shortcuts and real in case of failures.
A satellite is typically subjected to temperatures that can range from 150 ° C and -150 º C, several meteorological agents and solar winds, so it is protected not only externally but also within them. The circuitry involves not only be a leader in technology, but high resistance to any agent.
Transponders, the most important in the payload
When we saw briefly mentioned is called the payload of each satellite payload, that really is responsible for reissue and if processing the signal received from Earth. Within the payload, the most important are the transponders, abbreviated XPDR XP or on many occasions. These devices receive the signal ground through satellite antennas, amplify it and re-emit a different frequency by which it was issued, that is why in the case of telecommunications satellites are categorized as active transponders.
A current satellite may contain more than 50 transponders on board, which can accommodate multiple channels, technically called here "carriers". There are two different types of transponders: one that does not process the received signal, called "bent pipe repeater" and another that is capable of detecting the uplink signal and return a new downlink signal through a series of processes. These are known as "onboard processor" and are most frequent.
Moreover, the satellite service can incorporate some more, like a camera from space, and some sensors, but here the line between what is part of the bus and the payload is very thin and depends on the use to which it will allocate the machine. If we speak of a telecommunications satellite, the transponder will be the key to payload.
Satellite Earth control
The bus would be more than the skeleton that holds the body of the satellite in orbit and operational. It placed the satellite batteries, which are constantly recharged by solar panels. These panels, made from the satellite reaches a certain orbit generate energy to keep the electronics running. They measure between 20 and 25 feet long being deployed.
Thanks to communications from Earth, the satellite may reflect a multitude of orders, mainly positioning. Altitude control acts on three axes is the mechanism that allows the satellite to remain in a particular spot without moving in its orbit. However, climatic and natural conditions make it move in a movement that must be monitored and controlled 24. A degree of movement above is approximately 70 km of displacement of the coverage footprint on Earth.
On the bus are also fuel tanks and engines, which will be responsible for moving the satellite into space on the basis of the orders we give from the bottom. From ground control centers that monitor the satellite's position 24 hours, the margin of error of the maneuvers is only one meter.
What is known as a satellite life is but a limitation of the fuel tank. You can usually last between 15 and 20. After this time may not be refilled and therefore the satellite will complete his service, being moved to an intermediate orbit at the end of his life to be moved eventually to space when not to provide expanded service.
The role of antennas
The function of the antennas is to detect signals from the ground control centers or from the TV units. In the former aerospace industry for many years, the antenna signal emitted in all directions, resulting in very little cash until the engineers chose to deploy antennas with the ability to target a specific point, concentrating all the power needed to deliver an effective service. The dishes were what solved this little battle, both on land and in space.
At home, a dish normally is about 60 cm in diameter if they are in a good area within the coverage footprint of a satellite. To 36,000 km above the Earth, the satellite dish is about 3 meters in diameter. The clamps of the satellite dish to allow folding and unfolding, as well as pointing to a particular direction with great precision, aided by the mechanisms of movement and rotation of the entire body of the satellite.
The old satellites used to have between two and three antennas. Currently, it is normal to see a satellite with five antennas and several of them down, as the Hispasat 1E recently launched into space. Antennas are key and essential vehicle for the transponders to receive and impart information and so we can receive satellite TV at home.
A machine that costs about 300 million euros, which also has the distinction of not being able to repair in case of failure, means having the latest technology on board. A satellite must be self sufficient at any stage of life, both technically and energetically. In fact, the energy to move which sets the duration that may have a satellite. Normally, about 15 years.
What is the key technology to work? In this installment we will see each one of the most important parts of a satellite, from the payload .... to the bus, what their basic functions and what role they play in the overall operation of the machine. Remember that the satellites acting as "repeaters" and is basically signal that its function, so its most basic operations, without going into technical details, you will see that it is easy to understand.
There are many critical parts when there dde build a satellite. The inability to repair as we have never discussed and subjected to a physical violence in their first moments of life make the inside of this machine should be very robust and almost all parts are redundant, to have alternative shortcuts and real in case of failures.
A satellite is typically subjected to temperatures that can range from 150 ° C and -150 º C, several meteorological agents and solar winds, so it is protected not only externally but also within them. The circuitry involves not only be a leader in technology, but high resistance to any agent.
Transponders, the most important in the payload
When we saw briefly mentioned is called the payload of each satellite payload, that really is responsible for reissue and if processing the signal received from Earth. Within the payload, the most important are the transponders, abbreviated XPDR XP or on many occasions. These devices receive the signal ground through satellite antennas, amplify it and re-emit a different frequency by which it was issued, that is why in the case of telecommunications satellites are categorized as active transponders.
A current satellite may contain more than 50 transponders on board, which can accommodate multiple channels, technically called here "carriers". There are two different types of transponders: one that does not process the received signal, called "bent pipe repeater" and another that is capable of detecting the uplink signal and return a new downlink signal through a series of processes. These are known as "onboard processor" and are most frequent.
Moreover, the satellite service can incorporate some more, like a camera from space, and some sensors, but here the line between what is part of the bus and the payload is very thin and depends on the use to which it will allocate the machine. If we speak of a telecommunications satellite, the transponder will be the key to payload.
Satellite Earth control
The bus would be more than the skeleton that holds the body of the satellite in orbit and operational. It placed the satellite batteries, which are constantly recharged by solar panels. These panels, made from the satellite reaches a certain orbit generate energy to keep the electronics running. They measure between 20 and 25 feet long being deployed.
Thanks to communications from Earth, the satellite may reflect a multitude of orders, mainly positioning. Altitude control acts on three axes is the mechanism that allows the satellite to remain in a particular spot without moving in its orbit. However, climatic and natural conditions make it move in a movement that must be monitored and controlled 24. A degree of movement above is approximately 70 km of displacement of the coverage footprint on Earth.
On the bus are also fuel tanks and engines, which will be responsible for moving the satellite into space on the basis of the orders we give from the bottom. From ground control centers that monitor the satellite's position 24 hours, the margin of error of the maneuvers is only one meter.
What is known as a satellite life is but a limitation of the fuel tank. You can usually last between 15 and 20. After this time may not be refilled and therefore the satellite will complete his service, being moved to an intermediate orbit at the end of his life to be moved eventually to space when not to provide expanded service.
The role of antennas
The function of the antennas is to detect signals from the ground control centers or from the TV units. In the former aerospace industry for many years, the antenna signal emitted in all directions, resulting in very little cash until the engineers chose to deploy antennas with the ability to target a specific point, concentrating all the power needed to deliver an effective service. The dishes were what solved this little battle, both on land and in space.
At home, a dish normally is about 60 cm in diameter if they are in a good area within the coverage footprint of a satellite. To 36,000 km above the Earth, the satellite dish is about 3 meters in diameter. The clamps of the satellite dish to allow folding and unfolding, as well as pointing to a particular direction with great precision, aided by the mechanisms of movement and rotation of the entire body of the satellite.
The old satellites used to have between two and three antennas. Currently, it is normal to see a satellite with five antennas and several of them down, as the Hispasat 1E recently launched into space. Antennas are key and essential vehicle for the transponders to receive and impart information and so we can receive satellite TV at home.