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Space-Based Broadcasting The Future of Worldwide Audio Broadcasting (1985) / Chapter Skim
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Section 4: The Acquisition Cost of a UHF DBS-A System-Service
Pages 36-40

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From page 36...
... Several hundreds of mi l l i ons of spacewave receivers eventually could be expected to be purchased to replace those now in use to receive shortwave programs. Purchases also should be induced not only by the increased reliability, quality, and clarity of signal reception compared with today's shortwave services, but also by the ability to listen to many more program channels broadcast by the governments of countries all over the world, and perhaps by the prospect of listening to commercial broadcasting -- altogether, a global initial purchase market of $10-billion.
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From page 37...
... The existence and use of such permanent, sophisticated, in-space infrastructure, including technicians, will speed the introduction of advanced space communications technology and lower its unit costs generally by easing the conduct of in-space development programs and allow for the repair and updating of operating in-space assets. The assumption is made that four separate space segments would be required to provide adequate surface coverage on a worldwide basis (two for North, Central, and South America, and the eastern Pacific Ocean; two for Europe, Africa and Asia, the Indian Ocean, and the western Pacific Ocean)
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From page 38...
... trunk, mobile, teleconferencing and DBS-TV communications; navigation and position-fixing transceivers, increasingly sophisticated passive and active radiowave and optical Earth-directed remote sensing instruments, and sophisticated astronomy instruments. Whether or not this possibility occurs cannot be clearly predicted now because NASA's geostationary space "platform" aspirations are still in the study stage, not the commitment-to-develop stage.
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From page 39...
... In-orbit parts storage, assembly, and test Space segment surface feeder station 6. Surface signal monitoring network TOTAL 20 30*
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From page 40...
... If the space segment antenna were scaled down from the 200-foot diameter suggested to 60 feet, or a frequency in the upper UHF TV region employed rather than the illustrative 2.5 GHz, then a system-service channel capacity reduction of some BOX would ensue. This arrangement would still provide a very respectable capacity for an initial service to be established within the next decade; it would not present the technical challenge and risk posed by a transmitter with lOX the antenna aperture area and lOX the number of subtransmitters; and it would result in an initial financial cost estimate of $30 to 50 million less for each satellite.
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Key Terms

  • space segments
  • geostationary space
  • sophisticated space
  • inferentially underwrite
  • shuttle fleet

  • technological developments
  • pacific ocean
  • communications industry
  • electrical energy
  • learning curve

  • total acquisition
  • space station
  • significant production
  • surface coverage
  • encompassing geostationary

  • feeder station
  • article reviews
  • overall shipment
  • reception compared
  • truly sophisticated

  • strategic defense
  • communications technology
  • production learning
  • detailed below
  • diameter suggested

  • segment antenna
  • low population
  • acquisition program
  • global initial
  • geostationary orbit


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