Satellite communication has seen a sharp rise in recent years - here are some insights about the satellite industry, and an in-depth look at satellite interference, a potential threat to the integrity of SatCOM.

1. Space - a data highway in progress
Satellite communication - developments, impact, challenges
A look at the orbit
Infographic by Siemens Convergence Creators,
published at http://www.convergence-creators.siemens.com/satellite-communication-interference.html
Satellite Industry Association - State of the Satellite Industry (2016)
SES - Sky High Connectivity (2016)
Eutelsat Communications - Satellite Interference: an Operator’s Perspective (2013)
http://www.celestrak.com/satcat/boxscore.asp
UCS Satellite Database - http://www.ucsusa.org/nuclear-weapons/space-weapons/satellite-database
Number of launched satellites that are still operational as of July 2016
Intended purpose of currently operational satellites
satellite
launches
(2015)
total operational
satellites
(July 2016)
Distribution of the satellite industry revenue worldwide by sector in 2015
(in billion U.S. Dollars)
Share of private households with a satellite TV connection in Germany
How interference happens
Additional reasons for
interference include:
• Adjacent satellite interference
• Terrestrial service interference
Example: A satellite operator reported cases of deliberate interference
rose dramatically in quantity & duration from 2010 to 2012
DSP DSP
Carrier
Monitoring
System
Geolocation SystemDVB Carrier ID
Satellite channels
worldwide
2010
Satellite communication applications
Taken for granted in many aspects of everyday life
and for specialized tasks
HD satellite channels
worldwide
The satellite industry - dealing with enormous values
Satellite TV exemplifies the recent success of satellite services
With success comes responsibility
Satellite data highway challenges:
interference threatening data integrity
Interference can be unintentional…
The fight for satellite signal integrity:
How can sources of interference be located?
…or deliberate
200
100
150
50
0
201220101995 2011 2013 2014 2015
37% Commercial
Communications
Meteorology
Military Surveillance
Navigation
R&D
Earth Observation
Services
Scientific
Television
Business & Finance
Telephones
Climate and Environ-
mental Monitoring
Navigation
Land Stewardship
Weather
Development
Safety
Space Science
Civil/Military
Communications
208bn.
total satellite
industry revenue,
(2015)
14 %
14 %
12 %
7 %
3 %
8 %
5 %
40
50
20
30
10
0
20102000 2005 2015
Key industry driver,
4% growth from 2014
4% up from 2014, growth
carried by high value
government satellites
9% decrease from 2014Stagnant with 1% overall growth,
strongest segments: consumer-,
and network-equipment
Consequences of interference:
• Loss or degradation of satellite signal
• Drain on resources and man power
• Financial harm
Rogue
Uplink Station
Jamming
Frequency
80
100
120
140
40
60
20
0
Satellite Services Ground Equipment Satellite manufacturing Launch industry
Broadcaster
Frequency
Foreign
Broadcasting
Staion
Satellite
The volume and importance of satellite communication is increasing rapidly
with signal integrity being vital not only for end consumers but even more so
for satellite and service operators.
Operators now have access to more and more sophisticated tools to help mitigate
satellite interference threatening their business models and contributing to their
reputation as secure, reliable service providers independent of the constraints of
ground-based data highways.
Upgrade to the traditional setup shown above: the latest satellite geolocation technology is able to
localize interference even without the need for an adjacent satellite, drastically improving success rates.
74
2005
36
2000
39
8
91
84
122
150
173
1416
1416
40.000
$ 127,4
$ 58,9
$ 16,6
$ 5,4
1,975 mins
142,913 mins
329,826 mins
8.600
31,5 %
39 %
41 %
45,9 %
Inter-
ference
types
2012
2011
202
$
Jammed
TV Signal
27% Unknown carriers
Primary Satellite
Suffering from
Interference
Receiving
Antennas
Frequency Conversion
& Signal Acquisition HW
Interference
Known
Transmitter
Location
(Reference)
Unknown
Transmitter
(Interferer)
Adjacent
Satellite
35% Crosspole
7% Hardware problems
28% Human error
3% Deliberate interferences