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How does a satellite work ?
A satellite serves as a radio-frequency repeater, providing a relay station between a sender and a receiver. Communications satellite systems
are made of up of two parts;the earth segment, which consists of the equipment at the hub and at the remote locations, and the space segment, which is the link to and from the satellite.
To communicate via satellite,
the sender first converts a signal ( radio, TV, data, voice, video) into electronic form. This is then transmitted or "uplinked" to the satellite using high powered amplifiers and antennas, designed to direct
the signal towards satellite.
After travelling 36,000km to the satellite, the transmitted signal is weak and needs to be amplified by a "transponder" located on the satellite. A transponder is simply the
combination of a receiver, frequency converter, and transmitter package.
Once the signal has been amplified, it is directed towards one of the satellite antennas to be "downlinked" or returned to earth.
Once the signal reaches the ground, it is received by another antenna and amplifier at the receiver site and the message is received.
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