-->[OO]:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -->]OO[:[ ACTS-Satelites ]:::::::[OO--[ by lowtek ]--[ lowtek@l0wtek.org ]::: -->[OO]:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::[ http://deadprotocol.org/lowtek ]::::: -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- |The World of the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite... | -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ACTS-Operations and structure -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- written by lowtek lowtek@deadprotocol.org lowtek@l0tek.org ******************************************** Advanced Communications Technology Satellite ******************************************** The ACTS satellite network was depelopted and schedualed for launch on Febuary 3, 1993 It is located in the Ka band at around 18-31 ghz and is in geosynchronous orbit aka the clark belt (22,300 miles above earth.) The ACTS satellite has many features that are not yet avalible to the public satellite market and shall continue to lead major satellite research towards it. This satellite was a result of the research done by many military and government operations that wanted to work on specific satellite projects to lead the public satellite verndors. They work on specific projects such as mobilie terminals, ATM linking via satellite, SOnet, and many other large network communications useage. -=-=-=-=-=-==-=-= Features of ACTS: -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- .o 110-Mbps time division Multiple Access .o Digital regeneration and Switching on board the satellite .o Multi Beam Anteana's .o BaseBand Processor -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= There are currently many earth station developments going on in means of the ACTS satellite such as the following: -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- | The ACTS T1 VSAT| -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Is basically The main earth Station that provides means with communicating with the satellite and most of its functions on board. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- | The ACTS Mobile Terminal| -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Is away of achieving the goal of making tremendous speeds of satellite data well on the road and making it easier to communicate world wide. This earth station will be put into use with things such as International Hostpitals and also Telemedicine, Quality Audio, Military, Secure Communications and Many Aeronautical Applications such as Jets, Missiles and other aero mobile units. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- |The Aeronaticaul Experiment| -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- This Station is similar to the Mobile Station in that it is on the run but in a different platform of the word run. Here we are talking about in the midst of soaring 5000 miles high and transmitting a signal to the satellite for navigation, radar, enemy persuit. -=-=-=-=-=- |ACTS MASCOM| -=-=-=-=-=- Is a Station that would let you manipulate the steering of a vehical in persue this was tested at Fort Leavenworth with a Hummer to test the Electronic Steering. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- |Broad Band Aeronatical Terminal| -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Broad Band terminal allows the satellite to upink many things at the same time such as 2 conversations on the telephone and compressed 2 way video also full resolution of Television to the air craft. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= |INTEX Ka Band Experimental Satellite Ground Terminal| -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- This station is mainly one to help out with all of ACTS other experiments it provides measurement of various signal quality on the satellite link quality. Also is used to evaluate data compresion and Compares digital modulation and coding data. -=-=-=- |HBR/LET| -==-=-= High Burst Rate Link Evaluation Terminal is used as a safty device to watch over the ACTS satellite's performace of the microwave switch matrix mode. This Terminal has statistics about the satellites rain fade and measured quality of all links. -=-=-=-=-=-=-===-=-=-=-=-=- Well there are more in the proccess being made as I speak so look forward for an update... -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Why the Ka band? -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- You may be asking, "why in the world is this satellite operating in the Ka Band?" Well ACTS is the first satellite to actually transmit in the Ka band and because of this people have to watch the weather 24/7 in little rooms so they know when to notify the military if it will have bad signaling from the rain... The reason it is placed around the Ka band is because it has a 2.4 spectrum avalible. This is is 5 times fater than at lower frequncey bands such as where LEOS orbit around 400 to 1000 miles above earth. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Spectrums Analysis and Explenation -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- This section explians the Spectrum a little more than I have done at the top so hang with me. The word "Spectrum" refers to a range of radio freqs that are used, or a portion of radio waves to make phone calls or transmit certain data. A freqency is the number of times each second that each radio wave completes a cycle. There are many Spectrums that are broken up into bands by the FCC. For example: Cordless phones are assigned to the 46 and 49 million cycle (hertz) per second. A "hertz" refers to one cycle of a radio wave. The higher the frequency, the more precious it is and this is why the Ka band at 30/20 ghz is a little more precious and is checked for weather hourly I have included the following weather analysys off NASA's server to show an example: -----------------------------------\ |-| | \ | | | USA \/ | | | | | | | | | | | | \ \ -----------------------------------------\ \ \_\ <-------- Bad Weather Quickly The NOC Is Notified and The ACTS Satellite sits and waits for the weather to pass The data is straight from the BBP of the satellite which transmits the data to the NASA Glen Research Center Mater Control Center VAX where it is kept on record for future research. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= MASTER CONTROL STATION ALARMS (Alarm Severity: I-Info., S-Status, E-Error, W-Warning, F-Fatal) Term# Date Time Severity Subsystem Msg Type Msg# Alarm Text ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 3 8/23/99 9:22:23 S LBR 11 17 Traffic terminal #3 is synchronized 3 8/23/99 9:58:12 S LBR 10 33 East & west scan beam refresh sequence ended 3 8/23/99 10:12:13 S LBR 10 61 LBR EXECURE buffer now available 3 8/23/99 10:45:43 E LBR 11 1 Traffic terminal #3 is at loss of synchronization state This represents what happens when something goes wrong with anything in or on the satellite. Now here all we have are minor problems that happen durring the signaling of the satellite hence the "Traffic terminal #3 is at loss of synchronization state". -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Following are of N channel circuit activity reports from the NASA computer system. These represent successful and failed connection attempets to the N channel Circuits: N Channel Circuits - Successful Connections Orig Start Circuit Call Destination Orig Channel Circuit Number Term# Date Time Setup Duration Term# Number Type Channels ________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ 6 8/23/95 19:53:21 1 1049 6 4 1 2 6 8/23/95 19:58:57 2 87 1 2 2 2 N Channel Circuits - Failed Connections Orig Start Circuit Destination Orig Channel Circuit Number Reject Reject Term# Date Time Setup Term# Number Type Channels Code Reason _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 1 8/23/95 13:00:58 1 21 110 2 2 31 Destination Terminal Busy 1 8/23/95 15:33:46 1 2 787 2 24 41 Destination Terminal Shutdown -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Singale channel circuit Activity -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- This is a list of the connections of "Voice Channel" Activitys these show the destiniation earth station numbers and the channel number also the circuit type that failed or succeded well routering to the destination: Voice Circuit-Successful Connections Start Call Destination Orig Channel Circuit Term# Date Time Duration Term# Number Type ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 1 8/23/95 10:35:54 33 6 786 2 1 8/23/95 12:07:58 38 2 786 2 1 8/23/95 19:06:23 600 2 786 2 Voice Circuit-Failed Connections Start Orig Dest Orig Circuit Reject Reject Date Time Term# Term# Channel# Type Reason Text _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ 5/17/95 11:17:34 1 12 787 2 20 Satellite Busy: Insufficient Destination Uplink Capacity -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-= ACTS Anteana Reciver/Transiver -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-===-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=- The ACTS satellite has 5 anteana's ports for use in uplink and downlink testing and contstruction. This provides the MCS (Clevland Mater Control Center) to be able to measure the signal quality and test new uploading/ downloading tekniques and features. And to provide multisignaling within new projets of the ACTS. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- |BaseBand Processer| -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= The Base Band Processer is the the mind of the communications routing features such as Voice Procssing, Video Signals, and Call Routing. This system provides many things to the end users of the satellite on Earth. It is said to be equal to a 5ess-2000 switch, and provides Time Division Multiplexing of Radion Signals of the uplink and downlink flexibility within the family of signaling. The BBP is programmed to make compatability within the messege routing system on heavy and slow days at work. The switching and routing of messeges are moved around at 64-kbps hence the ISDN onboard. ---------\ \-------- ---------- | | ---------- | ACTS | -> /--------| | ----------/ -- Anteana Ports When a Signal is transmitted to an Anteana on the ACTS it is compressed and when the BBP recieves it, it is almost simotaniously sent to the most unused downlink at that time and routed down into the earth stations reciever where from there it will be decompressed and sent on its way to reach its destination on the PSTN. Here is an example of what the BBP switch looks like with all of its routing features marked: ---------------------------------------------------------- ---------- ----------------------------------------------- |INPUT CHANNEL 1 | | | | OUTPUT CHANNEL 1 | | ____________ | | | | ------- | || | --------- | | | | | | | || DEMODS | | | | | | | |PING-PONG| /---------- | ||------------| |PING-PONG| | | | | --- |-- / --------- | | || 110/55 | | MEMORY |--- | | | | | -- MEMORY |--|| // || | || | ______| |-- | ------- | | | | || | 2K x | || || ------ || | DOWNLINK || MSPS | |------| 2K x | | | | || | | | || | 64 BITS | || || | | || ----- | BEAM ||------------| || | 64 BITS | | | | FEC || | BASBAND | | || --------- || || | FEC | || | | \ NO. 1 || | || |--------- | | | |___| ROUTING |___|--| -------- | -- -- | || | || | \ || | || | |______|DECODER|___ ___ --| | | | ------ENCODER-- --- MOD |---- / || | || ______ || | SWITCH | | || |PING-PONG| || | ------ 110/55|---- / || OR |-------- | | | || | | | || | |- | | | | MSPS || |/ || | || | | |_______|| | | | || | MEMORY |--- ------ | || --> || | || --------- | | | | | | | --- 2K x | ------ | --> ||------------| || | | | | | | | | ---| 64 BITS | | Uplink || 27.5/13.75 | || |PING-PONG| | | | | | | --------- | Beam || | ||_____| MEMORY |-- | | | | | | 1 || MSPS | ------- |--- | | | | | ||------------| | 2K X | | | | | | ||------------| | 64 BITS | | | | | | || 27.5/13.75 | |---------| | | | | | || | | | | | | || MSPS | | | *| | | ------------------------------------------------------------ |*--------- \ ----------------------------------------------- | \ | | ------------------------------------------------------------ | --------- | -------------------------------------------------- | || | | | | | | INPUT CHANNEL 2 || | CENTRAL | | | OUTPUT CHANNEL (2) | Uplink| ||_| | | | Identical to OUTPUT CHANNEL (1) | Beam | (INDENTICAL TO INPUT CHANNEL 1) | |PROCESSER|- -| | No. 2 | | | | | | --> | | | | | | ---------------------------------------------------------- | | -------------------------------------------------- --------- - This represents a signal uplinked to the satellites BBP system and what functions are going on and how it handles the /voice/data/ and downlinks it to the other subscriber of the ACTS terminal... The INPUT and OUTPUT channels (2) are identical to the top ones in that they are just another anteana data port for the enduser to connect to using his or her terminal... -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The ACTS satellite will help satellite communications for years to come even though it was supposed to be a 4 year sat. We have expanded and now are learning a magnificent amount of data as the dawn of the millenium occurs this information will lead us in the way or maybe we are leading our selfs into just a big gigantic technological mess... these things we will never no but untill we do... we shall keep advancing... I leave you with The Satellite Accronym list provided by NASA: -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- List of Abreveations thanks to NASA: APPPENDIX A LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ACTS Advanced Communications Technology Satellite BBP Baseband Processor BER Bit Error Rate BFN Beam Forming Network Bps Bits Per Second BPSK Binary Phase-Shift Keying CDMA Code Division Multiple Access CML Current Mode Logic CMDS Commands CMOS Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor CR&T Command Ranging & Telemetry DAMA Demand Assigned Multiple Access DARPA Defense Advance Research Projects Agency dB Decibel D/C Down converter DCU Digital Control Unit ECL Emitter Controlled Logic FDM Frequency Division Multiplexing FDMA Frequency Division Multiple Access FEC Forward Error Correction FET Field Effect Transistor Gbps Gigabits Per Second GHz Gigahertz HDR High Date Rate HEMT High Electron Mobile Transistor IBOW In Bound Order Wire IF Intermediate Frequency Kbps Kilobits Per Second LSI Large Scale Integration ms millisecond MBA Multiple Beam Antenna Mbps Megabits Per Second MCS Master Control Station MOSAIC Motorola Oxide Self-Aligned Implanted Circuit MSM Microwave Switch Matrix MSPS Mega Symbols Per Second NASA National Aeronautics & Space Administration NMT Network Management Terminal ns Nanosecond OBOW Out Bound Order Wire OC Optical Carrier QPSK Quaternary Phase Shift Keying RCSA Receive Coax Switch Assembly RF Radio Frequency SMSK Serial Minimum Shift Keying SNMP Simple Network Management Protocol SONET Synchronous Optical Network SQPSK Staggered Quaternary Phase Shift Keying SSI Small Scale Integration TCSA Transmit Coax Switch Assembly TDM Time Division Multiplexing TDMA Time Division Multiple Access TEW Tracking Error Word TLM Telemetry TT&C Telemetry, Tracking & Command TWTA Traveling Wave Tube Amplifier U/C Up converter VSAT Very Small Aperture Terminal WIRS Waveguide Input Redundancy Switch WORS Waveguide Output Redundancy Switch written by lowtek ----> lowtek@deadprotocol.org ----------------- This file was written mostly with public information the signals are upon us... and i am here to feed them