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3.4.2 Antenna TrackingAn earth station antenna may be required to work to satellites in differentorbital positions during its lifetime. A recent example is the tracking <strong>of</strong> theRussian Mir Space Station (Fig. 3.17) as it orbited <strong>and</strong> guided back to earth onFriday, March 23, 2001. The Mir’s progress was charted up to the point <strong>of</strong>entry. Fragments from the massive complex splashed down in the SouthPacific just as ground controllers had planned. It was a technological feat inthe history <strong>of</strong> space tracking <strong>and</strong> research <strong>and</strong> demonstrated the criticalimportance <strong>of</strong> precise direction finding.Some earth station antennas may need to switch between satellitesfrequently. For example, the antenna may be required to relay programsfrom a number <strong>of</strong> different satellite systems to a local broadcasting stationor a number <strong>of</strong> broadcasting stations (like major events, such as militaryconflicts, the Olympics, or World Cup soccer), or cable-TV network. In suchcases, it is important to point <strong>and</strong> repoint the antenna swiftly, simply, <strong>and</strong>accurately, whether or not it has a tracking system.Recently deployed satellite communications antennas operate in the11=14- <strong>and</strong> 20=30-GHz ranges <strong>and</strong> have narrower radiation patterns than olderantennas. In order to point the earth station’s antenna beam within thesenarrow sectors <strong>of</strong> the satellite antenna beam, it is essential to direction-find thesatellite with significantly greater precision.With these examples, how do we track any satellites orbiting the earth<strong>and</strong> by what method(s)? Three commonly used direction-finding systems inearth stations are monopulse, step track, <strong>and</strong> programmable steering. TheFIGURE 3.17The Mir space station. (Courtesy <strong>of</strong> NASA.)Copyright © 2002 by Marcel Dekker, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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