DIY Space: DIY Satellite Ground Station

Anyone who has been following this site knows that satellites are in many different roles, accomplishing many things beneficial to humanity. But none this really matters without a way to communicate with them. If a satellite takes a picture, how does that picture make its way to Earth? If a satellite requires an element set […]

Providing Information Equality with Satellites

Outernet is proposing to broadcast information, via satellite, to portable base stations that are also wireless networks. The wireless networks would be free and open to the very poor around the world. Outernet wants to provide information equality to those poor people. They mean well, I suppose. And it’s a very interesting idea they’re pursuing with some […]

ISEE-3 Reboot Project: Critical Communications

In spite of all obstacles, including equipment age, the International Sun/Earth Explorer 3 (ISEE-3) is talking to people on Earth again. Not only is it talking, but the people sending and receiving ISEE-3’s messages are volunteers for the ISEE-3 Reboot Project instead of paid Federal Government employees. All people involved with the project are working towards a vision of […]

Jam On It!–Arabsat’s Ethiopian Space Jam Problem

What does a satellite operator do if someone jams its broadcast signal? Specifically, what does Arabsat do when someone jams its TV signals in Africa and the Middle East? According to this Satellite Today post, the company first finds out where this “intentional uplink interference” is coming from. Then it takes its case to the International […]

Why Space Matters: HEO Satellite Operations, Part 4–Moley, Moley, Moley, Molniya!

During the last lesson, you might have been enlightened with the information that even though the Soviets have used, and Russians do use, geosynchronous (GEO) orbits for satellites, they seem to have a special place in their vodka-filled hearts for the highly elliptical orbit (HEO). And that last lesson enumerates the reasons why they like it. For one particular […]