Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Communication costs”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 73 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2006

Low-cost Large Aperture Telescopes for Optical Communications

Low-cost, large-aperture optical receivers are required to form an affordable optical ground receiver network for laser communications. Among the ground receiver station's multiple subsystems, here, we only discuss the ongoing research activities aimed at reducing the cost of the large-size optics on the receiver. Experimental results of two different approaches for fabricating low-cost mirrors of wavefront quality on the order of 100-200X the diffraction limit are described. Laboratory-level effort are underway to improve the surface figure to better than 20X the diffraction limit.

telescope↗
NASA NTRS2005

Investigations To Characterize Multi-Junction Solar Cells In The Stratosphere Using Low-Cost Balloon And Communication Technologies

The use of current balloon, control and communication technologies to test multi-junction solar sell in the stratosphere to achieve near AMO conditions have been investigated. The design criteria for the technologies are that they be reliable, low cost and readily available. Progress is reported on a program to design, launch, fly and retrieve payloads dedicated to testing multi-junction solar cells.

Bowe, Glenroy A.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Microstrip monopulse antenna for land mobile communications

Low cost is one of the main requirements in a communication system suitable for mass production, as it is the case for satellite land mobile communications. Microstrip technology fulfills this requirement which must be supported by a low cost tracking system design. The tradeoff led us to a prototype antenna composed of microstrip patches based on electromechanical closed-loop principle; the design and the results obtained are described.

Garcia, Q.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The ACTS Flight System - Cost-Effective Advanced Communications Technology

The multibeam communications package (MCP) for the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) to be STS-launched by NASA in 1988 for experimental demonstration of satellite-switched TDMA (at 220 Mbit/sec) and baseband-processor signal routing (at 110 or 27.5 Mbit/sec) is characterized. The developmental history of the ACTS, the program definition, and the spacecraft-bus and MCP parameters are reviewed and illustrated with drawings, block diagrams, and maps of the coverage plan. Advanced features of the MPC include 4.5-dB-noise-figure 30-GHz FET amplifiers and 20-GHz TWTA transmitters which provide either 40-W or 8-W RF output, depending on rain conditions. The technologies being tested in ACTS can give frequency-reuse factors as high as 20, thus greatly expanding the orbit/spectrum resources available for U.S. communications use.

Holmes, W. M., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Report on Project to Characterize Multi-Junction Solar Cells in the Stratosphere using Low-Cost Balloon and Communication Technologies

Balloon, control and communication technologies are under development in our laboratory for testing multi-junction solar cells in the stratosphere to achieve near AM0 conditions. One flight, Suntracker I, has been carried out reported earlier. We report on our efforts in preparation for a second flight, Suntracker II, that was aborted due to hardware problems. The package for Suntracker I system has been modified to include separate electronics and battery packs for the 70 centimeter and 2 meter systems. The collimator control system and motor gearboxes have been redesigned to address problems with the virtual stops and backlash. Surface mount technology on a printed circuit board was used in place of the through-hole prototype circuit in efforts to reduce weight and size, and improve reliability. A mobile base station has been constructed that includes a 35' tower with a two axis rotator and multi-element yagi antennas. Modifications in Suntracker I and the factors that lead to aborting Suntracker II are discussed.

Mirza, Ali↗
NASA NTRS1983

Communications network design and costing model programmers manual

Otpimization algorithms and techniques used in the communications network design and costing model for least cost route and least cost network problems are examined from the programmer's point of view. All system program modules, the data structures within the model, and the files which make up the data base are described.

Logan, K. P.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Communications network design and costing model users manual

The information and procedures needed to exercise the communications network design and costing model for performing network analysis are presented. Specific procedures are included for executing the model on the NASA Lewis Research Center IBM 3033 computer. The concepts, functions, and data bases relating to the model are described. Model parameters and their format specifications for running the model are detailed.

Logan, K. P.↗
NASA NTRS1995

The role of radiation hard solar cells in minimizing the costs of global satellite communications systems

An analysis embodied in a PC computer program is presented which quantitatively demonstrates how the availability of radiation hard solar cells can minimize the cost of a global satellite communication system. The chief distinction between the currently proposed systems, such as Iridium Odyssey and Ellipsat, is the number of satellites employed and their operating altitudes. Analysis of the major costs associated with implementing these systems shows that operation within the earth's radiation belts can reduce the total system cost by as much as a factor of two, so long as radiation hard components including solar cells, can be used. A detailed evaluation of several types of planar solar cells is given, including commercially available Si and GaAs/Ge cells, and InP/Si cells which are under development. The computer program calculates the end of life (EOL) power density of solar arrays taking into account the cell geometry, coverglass thickness, support frame, electrical interconnects, etc. The EOL power density can be determined for any altitude from low earth orbit (LEO) to geosynchronous (GEO) and for equatorial to polar planes of inclination. The mission duration can be varied over the entire range planned for the proposed satellite systems. An algorithm is included in the program for determining the degradation of cell efficiency for different cell technologies due to proton and electron irradiation. The program can be used to determine the optimum configuration for any cell technology for a particular orbit and for a specified mission life. Several examples of applying the program are presented, in which it is shown that the EOL power density of different technologies can vary by an order of magnitude for certain missions. Therefore, although a relatively radiation soft technology can be made to provide the required EOL power by simply increasing the size of the array, the impact on the total system budget could be unacceptable, due to increased launch and hardware costs. In aggregate these factors can account for more than a 10% increase in the total system cost. Since the estimated total costs of proposed global coverage systems range from $1 Billion to $9 Billion, the availability of radiation hard solar cells could make a decisive difference in the selection of a particular constellation architecture.

Summers, Geoffrey P.↗
NASA NTRS1996

The role of radiation hard solar cells in minimizing the costs of global satellite communication systems

An analysis embodied in a PC computer program is presented, which quantitatively demonstrates how the availability of radiation hard solar cells can help minimize the cost of a global satellite communications system. An important distinction between the currently proposed systems, such as Iridium, Odyssey and Ellipsat, is the number of satellites employed and their operating altitudes. Analysis of the major costs associated with implementing these systems shows that operation at orbital altitudes within the earth's radiation belts (10(exp 3) to 10(exp 4)km) can reduce the total cost of a system by several hundred percent, so long as radiation hard components including solar cells can be used. A detailed evaluation of the predicted performance of photovoltaic arrays using several different planar solar cell technologies is given, including commercially available Si and GaAs/Ge, and InP/Si which is currently under development. Several examples of applying the program are given, which show that the end of life (EOL) power density of different technologies can vary by a factor of ten for certain missions. Therefore, although a relatively radiation-soft technology can usually provide the required EOL power by simply increasing the size of the array, the impact upon the total system budget could be unacceptable, due to increased launch and hardware costs. In aggregate, these factors can account for more than a 10% increase in the total system cost. Since the estimated total costs of proposed global-coverage systems range from $1B to $9B, the availability of radiation-hard solar cells could make a decisive difference in the selection of a particular constellation architecture.

Summers, Geoffrey P.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Technology requirements for communication satellites in the 1980's

The key technology requirements are defined for meeting the forecasted demands for communication satellite services in the 1985 to 1995 time frame. Evaluation is made of needs for services and technical and functional requirements for providing services. The future growth capabilities of the terrestrial telephone network, cable television, and satellite networks are forecasted. The impact of spacecraft technology and booster performance and costs upon communication satellite costs are analyzed. Systems analysis techniques are used to determine functional requirements and the sensitivities of technology improvements for reducing the costs of meeting requirements. Recommended development plans and funding levels are presented, as well as the possible cost saving for communications satellites in the post 1985 era.

Burtt, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Space industrialization - Education

The components of an educational system based on, and perhaps enhanced by, space industrialization communications technology are considered. Satellite technology has introduced a synoptic distribution system for various transmittable educational media. The cost of communications satellite distribution for educational programming has been high. It has, therefore, been proposed to utilize Space Shuttle related technology and Large Space Structures (LSS) to construct a system with a quantum advancement in communication capability and a quantum reduction in user cost. LSS for communications purposes have three basic advantages for both developed and emerging nations, including the ability to distribute signals over wide geographic areas, the reduced cost of satellite communications systems versus installation of land based systems, and the ability of a communication satellite system to create instant educational networks.

Joels, K. M.↗
NASA NTRS1979

The 30/20 GHz mixed user architecture development study: Executive summary

The baseline 30/30 GHz satellite communication system, designed for cost-effective communications in the years 1990 to 2000, incorporates on-board satellite demodulation and routing of individual 64 kbps digital voice-grade circuits. This level of routing flexibility is necessary to provide efficient communications to the large number of direct-to-user terminals (DTU) projected. The circuit interfacing hardware is distributed among all the DTU and master control stations. The switching circuitry which provides full interconnectivity between 30 to 45 thousand circuits is in the satellite. The DTU terminal cost, perhaps the largest element in the system cost, represents the largest economic value element of the system because it avoids using terrestrial signal distribution and routing and the charges associated with these functions. Satellite baseline design and power requirements for the system are examined.

Source record↗