Key technology trends - Ground terminals

This paper presents an overview of the status of pertinent technologies for the ground segment of communications satellite systems. It is recognized that ground system technology is often more important than that of the satellites themselves, especially as satellites are increasingly being used to provide services directly to the end-customer. The current state of technology for several classes of ground terminals is reviewed. This includes Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSAT) for Ku- and Ka-bands, Television Receive Only (TVRO) terminals, handheld terminals, portable and mobile terminals for multimedia and business use, airborne and ship-borne terminals, hubs and gateways, and military terminals. (Author)