rq

NIEWS RELEASE
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
A 400 MARYLAND AVENUE, SW, WASHINGTON 25, D C
TELEPHONES WORTH 2-4155- WORTH 3.6925 4

FOR RELEASE: P. Mr.s

January 29, 1963

SYNCOM SCHEDULED '•OR LAUNCH

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration will attempt to

launch the Syncom active repeater communications satellite into a syn-

chronous orbit no earlier than February 6 from Cape Canaveral. The

launch will be the worldts first try at achieving the 24-hour orbit

22,300 miles above the earth.

Syncom will be boosted to the orbital altitude by a Delta launch

vehicle. Should this launch be successful it will be the 15th straight

success for the Delta. Upon reaching apogee the satellite will be kicked

into the synchronous orbit by a solid rocket motor attached to the space-

craft. Once in the synchronous -)-bit Syncom will hover over a fixed

longitude over the Atlantic Ocean and move in an elongated figure 8 pattern

approximately 30 degrees north and south of the equator. Communications

tests will be conducted between a transportable ground station at

Lakehurst, N.J., and a station aboard the USNS Kingsport at anchor in

Lagos harbor, Nigeria. The satellite will be capable of transmitting one

two-way telephone call or teletype messages. The number of teletype messages

will depend on the type of equipment employed by the gr 'und stations.

 Objectives of Syncom

1. Develop capability of launching satellites into the 24-hour

orbit using existing launch vehicles plus additional solid fuel "apogee-

kick" rockets.

2. Flight test a new approach to satellite attitude and period

control.

3. Provide experience in using communications satellites in a

24-hour orbit at the earliest possible time.

4. Develop transportable ground facilities which can be readily

deplojed in useful areas when communications satellites are put into

operational service.

Syncom, if successful, will establish a series of firsts in addition

to the 24-hour orbit. It ushers in >. new approach to spacecraft attitude

and velocity control. It marks the first attempt to relay microwave signals

from one point on earth to another via a satellite in so high an orbit. It

will be the first space communications link to Africa.

Syncom is a NASA project supported by the Department of Defense. DOD

provides the ground stations and conducts communications experiments to

meet NASA requirements while NASA provides the spacecraft, the Delta launch

vehicle, telemetry and command ground stations. NASAts Goddard Space Flight

Center manages the project under the overall supervision of NASA Headquarters.

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 Launch

The Delta launch vehicle will boost the Syncom to an altitude of

about 150 miles where the spacecraft will enter an elliptical orbit.

The Delta will be launched in an azimuth direction of about 108 degrees

from Cape Canaveral. Just before the third stage of the Delta fires

it is given a spin rate of 150 rpm so that the attitude of the

satellite and its apogee motor will be maintained correctly as it

coasts toward apogee following separation. A timtr aboard the spacecraft

is set to fire the apogee motor some 5- hours after injection into the

elliptical orbit at perigee. The motor can also be fired on command from

the ground.

.3 -
 Sequence of Events

The entry into synchronous orbit is scheduled to take place over the

Indian Ocean near Madagascar. However, the planned position for Syncom

is over the Atlantic Ocean betwe .nAfrica and South America. Moving

Syncom westward to the desired location is one task of the spacecraft's

jet contrcl system. The ground stations will determine whether Syncom is

drifting eastward or westward. If it is drifting westward at the correct

speed no corrections will be made. Otherwise the hydrogen peroxide gas

jet system aboard the satellite (on ground command) will move Syncom to

the desired location.

Once the satellite is at the desired location above the Atlantic and

traveling at the speed necessary to maintain its synchronous orbit, a

second jet control system will realign tne satellite's spin axis so that

it is perpendicular to the plane of the orbit. This control system uses

nitrogen under pressure. Periodic corrections will be made by another

nitrogen jet which will be fired to adjust for changes in orbital speed.

If everything goes well the satellite will reach the desired longitude

within two weeks after launch. However, it is expected to be in position

for communications testing ship, satellite, Lakehurst and return - about

five days after launch.

In its final location in orbit Syncom will not be in a truly stationary

orbit. This would require that the orbit be circular and in perfect

alignment with the plane of the equator as well as having a period if 24 hours.

Syncom is designed only to meet the 24 hour requirement.

The satellite's transmitting antenna, a coaxial slot array, transmits

to ground at 1815 mc.
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 On the ground signals are intercepted by two 30-foot parabolic

antennas. One is at Laikehurst, New Jersey, the other aboard the Kingsport.

Coolcd parametric amplifier receivers are used.

Ground station transmitters d-liver 20 kw at ,360 me, and are frequency

modulated with a bandwidth uip to 80 Ac. Ground station receiver bandwidths

are LOG kc maximum.

Ground stations of the U.S. Army Satellite Communications Agency will

conduct the experiments designed for Syncom. The overall Syncom system

will not be able to demonstrate television. It will be able to conduct two-

way telephone, teletype and facsimile transmission.

Public demonstrations may be conducted, depending on the condition of

the spacecraft, after the satellite reaches its final destinationi in orbit

and is checked out.

Control of the Syncom spacecraft is conducted from the Communications

Spacecraft Control Center (COMBOC) at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in

Maryland, which is in constant communication by teletype and telephone with

the communications ground stations and tracking stations.

Tracking is carried out by the Minitrack network and by the Syncoin

communications ground stations, employing a range and range rate system

supplied by Space Technology Laboratories under NASA contract. Specialized

projtet telemetry and command equipment by the Hughes Aircraft Company also

have been provided under contract to NASA.

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 The 24-Hour Orbit

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration will launch

the Syncom satellite as part of its program of development of a capability

of placing satellites into 24-hour orbits 23,300 miles above the earth.

NASA does not intend to place Syncom in an equatorial orbit but

rather in an orbit inclined about 30 degrees to the equator. Because

of this Syncom will travel north and south across the equator but remain

relatively fixed over a given longitude.

During a 24-hour period Syncom will appear to trace an elongated

figure 8 over the Atlantic Ocean between Africa and South America. It

will travel from about 30 degrees north of the equator to 30 degrees

south of the equator while tracing this pattern over the surface of the

earth.

Later synchronous satellites are planned to be placed into 24-hour

equatorial orbits. These satellites would appear to be stationary above

a fixed point on the equator. Three satellites equally spaced in such a

24-hour equatorial orbit would give a near global communications capability.

If lower-altitude random-orbit satellites are used, as many as 50 might

be needed for global communications.

Anothcer advantage of the synchronous satellite is that is requires less

elaborate and costly ground equipment than does the lower altitude satellite

system. And a synchronous satellite can operate on solar power most of

the time since 99% of the time it is in the sunlight. No active temperature

control system is needed aad fewer batteries are required, resulting in

weight savings.

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 Spacecraft Facts

Syncom, without antennas or apogee motor, is a cylinder 28 inches

in diameter and 154 inches high. The apogee motor rocket nozzle

protrudes from one end, communications antennas from the other. Weight

of the spacecraft, including the apogee motor case smith all the fuel

gone, is 36 pounds. Payload weight is 150 pounds at separation from

the third stage of the Delta launch vehicle.

The side surface of Syncom is covered with 3840 silicon solar cells

which supply energy to the nickel cadmium batteries.

The satellite is built in two units. An outer structure supports

the solar panels and contains the nitrogen and hydrogen peroxide gas

control systems and most of the satellite's electronics. An inner

structure supports the apogee motor and the remaining electronics.

Antennas include a slotted array antenna for communications trans-

mission, a dipole for communication receiving and four whip antennas in a

turnstile arrangement for telemetry and command.

Syncom has a passive temperature control system. That is, adequate

temperature control is achieved by the design and materials used on the

external surface and by properly insulating subsystem equipment.

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 Control Systems-

Syncom's control in orbit is achieved through a nitrogen gas control

system and a hydrogen peroxide system. Two pressurized spherical tanks

mounted opposite each other and connected by a manifold contain the gases

for each system.

Each control system has two jets. One jet fires parallel to the spin

axis and the other perpendicular to the axis. The nitrogen system contains

22 pounds of nitrogen at 3750 psi and the other system contains 5 pounds of

90% hydrogen peroxide pressurized to 200 psi by nitrogen. The nitrogen

system will have a total correction capability of about 60 feet per second.

The hydrogen peroxide system will have a correction capability of about 300

feet per second.

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 El-ctronics

Most electronic subsystems on Syncom are duplicative. Included are

4
transponders with two traveling-wave tube transmitters and two receivers,

either receiver of which may be used with either transmitter. One receiver

has two narrow-band channels, each with a noise bandwidth of 500 kc. The

other has a noise bandwidth of 5 mc. Syncow ts receiver noise figure is

10 db; antenna gain is 2 db through a skirteddipole antenna.

The antenna receives signals from ground stations on two frequencies

near 7360 me, and supplies them to one of the two receivers. At any one

time, only one of the receivers operates; the one chosen is selected by

command.

Each receiver has its own mixer-filter-limiter combination which

supplies two input signals near 1800 me to a single hybrid network, the

output of which is connected to the two traveling wave tube amplifiers.

Two-way communications can pass through either receiver.

The traveling wave tube transmitters deliver two watts at a frequency

of 1815 mc. The transmitter also provides a 100 milliwatt tracking beacon

signal at 1820 mc.

The total transponder power consumption is 16 watts. A transponder

weighs 8 pounds, including the traveling wave tube and high voltage power

supply.

Besides acting as a beacon and transponder, Syncom's communication

system will also transpond signals to measure range and range-rate of the

satellite to determine its orbit.

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 The transmitting antenna, 'Located on the spin axis and opposite the

apogee motor, is a slotted array of dipoles and has a gain of 5.5 db. It 4

radiates a pancake-shaped beam with its plane perpendicular to the space-

craft's spin axis. The 25-degree-wide beam covers the earth at all points

in line of sight.

The turnstile antenna will be used for both command and telemetry.

Telemetry daLa to be transmitted include temperatures; pow r supply voltage

and curre.nt; signal strength at the communications receiver and transmitter;

solar sensor's output; and pressure of nitrogen and hydrogen peroxide gas

systems.

Nineteen analog and pulse signals will be telemetered from the encoders.

Analog inputs will be sequentially multiplexed, four channels per second,

onto a fraqucncy-modulated sub-carrier oscillator with a 14.5 kc center

frmcu ncy. Sun sensor outputs, directly modulate the telemetry transmitter.

The two 148 mc command receivers are identical. Each has its own mixer,

i-f amplifiir and AM detector. The hybrid network allows command receivers

and t lem.try systems to share the turnstile antenna which has about -4.5 db

gain. Commands to be transmitted to SYNCOM from ground stations include

tlclmetry and communications system switching, gas jet firing, and apogee

motor firing.

The command decoders consist of the circuitry required to process the

ground commands. Electronics are turned on or off with 12 command signals;

another 13 commands are used for :ontrol.

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 An audio tone is supplied to one of three channels in each decoder,

the enable channel. When this channel detects the tone, a switch connects 4

the other two channels, the logic and execute channels. The logic channel

sets up the command on receiving the proper number of pulses from the ground.

The command is set up and verified by telemetry before the command is

executed.

Power supply is intended to supply about 25 watts at 28 volts.

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 The S -ncom Team

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is responsible

for the Syncom project. Development and operational phases of the project

are directed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland.

Design and construction of the Syncom spacecraft was accomplished

under NASA contract by Hughes Aircraft Comppny, Culver City, California,

under the technical direction of Goddard. Responsible for the ground

communications equipment is The Bendix Corporation under contract with

the Department of Defense.

DOD is responsible for conducting communications experiments under

the direction of NASA.

Prime contractor for the Delta vehicle iG Douglas Aircraft Company,

Inc., Santa Monica, California, which is also responsible for pre-launch

and launch operations. Logistic support is provided by the Air Force

Missile Test Center which operates the Atlantic Missile Range.

Key officials responsible for the Syncom project are:

NASA HEADQUARTERS

Morton J. 01toller, Director, Office of Applications

Leonard Jaffe, Director, Communications Systems, Office of Applications
Lt. Col, Robert E. Warren, Chief, Communications Satellite Projects Division,
Office of Applications, Syncom Project Officer
J. R'.Burke, Staff Engineer, Office of Applications
John J. Kelleher, Chief, Communication Satellite Systems Operations Division,
Office of Applications

GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER

Harry J. Goett, Director

D-niel G. Mazur, Chief, Spacecraft Systems and Projects Division
Robert J. Mackey, Jr., Chief, Spacecraft Communications

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GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER - continued

Alton E. Jones, Syncom Project Manager

Robert J. Darcey, Assistant Syncom Project Manager
Paul Karpiscak, Syncom Project Coordinator

13
 The Delta Launch Vehicle

The NASA-developed, three-stage Delta launch vehicle--trying for its

15th straight success--faces its most crucial mission when it attempts to

hurl the Syncom active repeater communications satellite into a synchronous,

circular orbit 22,300 miles above the earth.

Although its previous I34 successes have been challenging assignments--

despite the apparent ease with which Delta accomplished them--the "way out"

Syncom mission is by far the most difficult in the rocket's three-year

existence.

If successful, the Synccm mission will mark the first time in space

history that a payload has been lofted into synchronous orbit.

During the Syncom orbit attempt, the 57-ton Delta will perform for

only about six minutes and 40 seconds out of the total pre-orbital flight

time of more than five hours and 15 minutes. If it does as planned during

its brief but vital flight performance, the Syncom spacecraft and its

apogee "kick" motor will be placed in their orbital trajectory and begin a

five-hour-plus coast up toward the finall orbit. Then, when the payload has

reached a point more than 117 million feet above the earth, the kick motor

will ignite and burn for 18 seconds, maneuvering the Syncom t'.rough a tiny

"bulls-eye' in space into a circular orbit. This event, never before attempted,

is scheduled to occur over the Mozambique Channel between Madagascar and the

east coast of Africa.

The 87-foot launch vehicle, designated Delta 16, is the same us the

booster used to place the Relay communications satellite in orbit,

t
December 13, 1962. Its first stage is the Douglas Aircraft Ccompany s DM-21

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Thor which generates 170,000 pounds of thrust during its two-minute, 25-

second lifetime. At burn-out an event called MECO (Main Engine Cut Off),

the empty first stage falls away, and the Delta should be more than 50

miles above the Atlantic Ocean, 97 miles from its Cape Canaveral launch pad.

Delta's second stage, produced by Aerojet General, employs an extended

(three feet) liquid propellant tank first used on the Relay launch. This

greater tank capacity increases the burning time of the 7,500-pound thrust

engine from its earlier 109 seconds to 166 seconds for the Syncom mission.

As on the Relay Delta, the Syncom booster will also fly the Bell Telephone

Laboratories' "600" series guidance system, a lighter, up-dated version of

the earlier "300" system.

Thirty seconds after the second stage ignites, the fairing surrounding

the payload is jettisoned. During this portion of the flight, velocity and

steering corrections are made. After second stage burn-out, called SECO,

the rocket begins a 40-second coast period at which time spin rockets mounted

on a table between the second and third stages are fired in order to "spin

stabilize" the payload. At this point the spent second stage falls away.

Almost six minutes after Delta blasted from its launch pad, the third

stage, with its solid propellant ABL X-248 engine generating 3,000 pounds of

thrust, roars to life for 42 seconds boosting Syncom toward its orbital

rendezvous at more than 17,000 miles an hour. The payload, now in the

,,preliminary oi,."perigee" phase of its o-'bit is more than 151 miles above

the earth and over 1,000 miles from Cape Canaveral.

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 Project management of the Delta program is charged to the Goddard Space

Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland. Prime contractor for the Delta is the

Douglas Aircraft Company, Santa Monica, California.

Delta's outstanding launch record, includes one failure which occurred on

its first flight in May 1960, when the third stage failed to ignite. Since

then, Delta's performance of 14 consecutive successful flights has been

unmatched by any U.S. space booster. They are:

1. Echo I, passive communications satellite,

August 12, 1960

2. TIROS II, meteorological satellite,

November 23, 1960

3. Explorer X, scientific satellite,

March 25, 1961

4. TIROS III, July 12, 1961

5. Explorer XII, scientific satellite, August 15, 1961

6. TIROS IV, February 8, 1962

7. Orbiting Solar Observatory, March 7, 1962

8. Ariel (A joint NASA-United Kingdom ionospheric experiment),

April 26, 1962

9. TIROS V, June 19, 1962

10. Telstar, active communications satellite,

July 10, 1962

11. TIROS VI, September 18, 1962

12. Explorer XIV, scientific satellite, October 2, 1962

13. Explorer XV, scientific satellite, October 27, 1962

14. Relay I, active communications satellite, December 13, 1962

- 16 -
 In addition to the Syncom satellite, additional Delta launchings;

are presently scheduled. They include assignments to boost additional

TIROS, OSO and Telstar payloads. Other programs for which Delta is

programmed include the S-6, Atmospheric Structure Satellite, and the

Interplanetary Monitoring Probe (IMP), all projects of the Goddard

Space Flight Center.

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SUPPORT OF PROJECT SYNCOM

Prepared by Department of Defense

U.S. Army Satellite Communications Agency

Technical Liaison Office
Fort Monmouth, N.J.
Phone 201 - 53-21001
 ARMY COOPERATES IN NASA'S PROJECT SYNCOM

WASHINGTON -- Communications experiments and tests of the National

Aeronautics and Space Administration's SYNCOM satellite will be conducted by

Army-managed signal stations.

The capabilities of NASA's new experimental synchronous communications

satellite as a 22,300-rn4le high relay point in space will be determined

through terminals established for the military satellite communications

program. SYNCOM is a NASA project in which the Army is cooperating through

use of modified land and sea terminals developed originally in the Defense

Satellite Communications Program. It is anticipated that these terminals

will begin electronic "conversation" with the SYNCOM satellite when it

reaches its expected orbit in their radio line-of-sight.

The U.S. Army Satellite Communications (SATCOM) Agency is providing an

air-transportable terminal, a ship terminal, and a fixed station terminal

to exchange microwave communications signals through a distance of more

than 45,000 miles from the earth, through the spacecraft and back to earth.

The land based terminals are located in the continental United States and

the ship is on station at Lagos, Nigeria on the west coast of Africa.

 I

In addition to providing the surface terminals, according to Brig. Gen.

J. Wilson Johnston, Commanding General of the Army SATCOM Agency, the Agency

is to exercise direction and management control over systematic tests of the

satellite's capabilities as a real time active communications relay. This 4

control will be exercised through the Agencyts Satellite Communicdtions Test

Operations Center at Fort Monmouth, N.J.

The results of this test program will be used to determine the degree of

success of an experimental "long-lines" communication system utilizing a

light-weight, spin-stabilized satellite relay at the synchronous altitude.

This will assist in the evaluation of the adequacy and degree of effectiveness

of communications via satellites to satisfy military needs.

Variety of Suz-face Terminals

The shipborne and air-transportable terminals are the two primary

stations in the SATCOM Agency's space communications net for testing NASA's

SYNCOM satellite.

The SATCOM Agency's air-transportable satellite communications terminal,

located at Lakehurst, N.J., is contained in 11 vehicles which can be transported

aboard trains, ships or cargo planes. The terminal's self-conta~ined

transportable communications-tracking antenna, with its 30-foot parabolic

reflector, is capable of complete coverage in azimuth and elevation. The U.S.

Army Electronics Research and Development Laboratory developed the transportable

terminal as well as the fixed station terminal for the SATCOM Agency.

The USNS Kingsport, stationed at Lagos, is the shipborne terminal developed

under the SATCOM Agency's management. The Kingsport, a 455-foot former

Victory ship, was transformed into a seagoing satellite communications terminal

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at the Philadelphia Navy Shipyard, under the auspic s of the Navy Bureau of

Ships for the SATCOM Agency. The shipboard 30-foot parabolic "dish" antenna

is gyrostabilized on 3 axes, enabling it to keep accurately on target.

Performing the back-up role in this test program is the SATCOM Agency's

"fixed-station" terminal at Fort Dix, N.J. The antenna system of this terminal

features a 9-ton, 60-foot parabolic reflector, operates within an aiming error

of 0.024 degrees and is believed to be the most accurate of its kind.

Linking all of the surface terminals together in the test program is the

Army SATCOM Agency Test Operations Center equipped with space age communications

and telemetry facilities at the Agency's headquarters.

The Army SATCOM Agency is an Army Materiel Command organization. The

SATCOM Agency Commaider, Brig. Gen. J. Wilson Johnston, is also the Project

Manager for carrying out the Army assigned responsibilities in the Defense

Satellite Communications Program. Under this program the SATCOM Agency has

the mission of managing and providing technical direction for the development,

procurement and installation of land-based and shipboard terminals for testing

satellite communications, and for conducting these tests.

Bendix Radio Division of Towson, Md., designed and built the air trans-

portable terminal and the communications equipment for the shipboard terminal.

The air-transportable ground station antenna was developed by the Goodyear

Aircraft Corp., as subcontractor to Bendix Radio Division.

Bendix S +_.ns Division was systems integrator for the shipboard terminal.

The General Electric Ordnance Division of Pittsfield, Mass., a subcontractor

to Bendix Systems Division, developed and built the satellite communications

antenna system aboard the Kingsport.

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 The prime contractor for the antenna development and site construction

of the SATCOM Agency "fixed" station at Fort Dix was Sylvania Electric Pro-

ducts, Inc., of Waltham, Mass. The Bendix Corporation was responsible for

all communications equipment at this terminal.

/ -
 4

SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS TERMINAL AFLOAT

WASHINGTON -- In Lagos, Nigeria harbor, off the west coast of Africa,

a U.S. ship lies at anchor, ready to begin transmitting electronic signals

into space to the first communications satellite at the synchronous altitude,

NASA's SYNCOM.

The ship, the USNS Kingsport, will be the first station of the U.S. Army

Satellite Communications Agency's test network to be in radio line-of-sight

of the NASA SYNCOM satellite when the spacecraft arrives at its near-equatorial

orbit. This former WWII Victory ship, transformed into a space age satellite

communications terminal afloat, will be the pioneer station in the first

historic attempt to communicate through a relay point more than 22,000 miles

in space. The Army is cooperating with the civilian space agency in NASA's

synchronous project.

The initial communications will be on a loop circuit, from the ship,

through the satellite and back to the ship. Two other terminals In the SATCOM

Agency's communications test network will be brought into play a few hours

later when the satellite's course brings it into line-of-sight of these

stations, at Fort Dix and Lakehurst, N.J. Then the SATCOM Agency, headquartered
at Fort Monmouth, N..J., will undertake an extensive program of communicF- ions

testing to probe the capabilities of NASA's SYNCOM satellite as a real-time

active resJay point in space.

The development of thce Kingsport as a mobi.le terminal for satellite

communications waz accomplished by Bureau of Ships for the U.S. Army Satellite

Communications Agency. The Ki.gsport is manned by personnel of the Military

Seat Transport Service, the satellite communications operators aboard the

ship are members of the 'J.S.Naval R&D Satellite Communications Group, and

the tracking and telemetry personnel are representatives of NASA.

The ship terminal's 30-foot aluminum "dish" antenna reflector is one of

the largest ever installed on shipboard. The antenna is enclosed in a radome

and is gyrostabilized on a trn-axis base structure for rapid movement in

azimuth and elevation. This versatility enables the antenna to be pointed in

the correct direction at all times.

In addition to satellite communications and tracking, the ship terminal

also can receive and record telemetry and doppler measurements of satellites

and has a command control capability.

Compartments beneath the ship's weather deck contain communications and

t a-king, telemetry and command, timing, navigation, recording and data

display centers, and storeroom: workshop, air-conditioning and power generator

spaces. Other compartment spaces are provided for personnel accomaiodations.

There are 52 project personnel operating the ship's electronic complex, in

addition to the Kingsport's 74-man crew.

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 Bendix Systems Division was the prime contractor for systems integra-

tion aboard this SATCOM terminal. The General Electric Ordnance Division

developed the three-axis antenna system. Bendix Radio Division provided

communications equipment, Hughes Aircraft Co., under NAS. contract, developed

the telemetry and command system aboard ship.

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 I

TRADEMARKS OF SATELL~ITE COMMUNICATIONS

WASHINGTON -- "30 ... 60 ... 30 ..." No, these are not sounds of a

quarterback calling signals. These figures represent the diameters of the

parabolic reflectors of three types of satellite communications antennas

developed for use of the U.S. Army Satellite Communications Agency in the

Defense Satellite Communications Program. Their first "live" action is

NASA's Project SINCOM, in which the Army is cooperating.

One "30" is the "dish" diameter size measured in feet, of the antenna

included in the SATCOM Agency's land-based, air transportable terminal

system. These satellite communications terminals are contained in wheeled

vehicles which can be packed aboard trains, planes or ships for movement.

The first of these terminals, contained in 11 vehicles, has been assembled

at Lakehurst, N.J.

The other 30-foot parabolic antenna, enclosed in a ball shaped radome,

operates from the deck of a ship, the USNS Kingsport. Its tri-axial base

structure, driven by gearless motors, enables the antenna to keep pointed in

precisely the right direction at all times.

 A 60-foot-dish highlights the SATCOM Agency's "fixed-station" satellite

communications terminal located at Fort Dix, N.J. The huge antenna system

of this terminal operates within an aiming error of 0.024 degrees and with

its electronic twin at Camp Roberts, Calif., is believed to be the most

accurate of its kind.

These antennas are at-the-ready for action in Project SYNCOM. Sending

and receiving signals through 22,300 miles of space, they will have a key

task in demonstrating the feasibility of communications between surface

stations via a satellite in the 24 hour synchronous orbit.

(end)
 SATIELLITE COMMUNICATIONS TEST OPERATIONS CENTER

The Satellite Communications Test Operations Center is an information

coordinating and test control facility wherein data will be received,

filtered and displayed.

Displays

TELEMETRY: 42-item capability on Telemetry Board which can be fed at

8-second intervals by teletype line.

TELEVISION: 5 channels, closed circuit - 21 monitor units - Channels

1 and 2 connected to plotting boards; 3 and 4 connected

to internal and incoming teletype printers; 5 is a com-

mercial tuner.

TELEPHONE: Multiple line call director system 2/4 types of signaling;

direct ringing, selective ringing, coded dialing, and direct

dialing.

TIME: Digital read-out timing systems: Universal Time, System

Time, Countdown Time and Countup Time; systems driven by

a short duration, 1000-cycle-per second sine wave occurring

once a second. Accuracy of ].part in 106 per day.

DISPLAY PANELS: 3 double-sided, 3 ft. by 7 ft. rotatable, w/both back and

edge variabld intensity lighting. Contains launch and

test information on map and graph type formats placed 4

behind plexiglass panels.

SUPPORT AND EQUIP-

MENT MAINTENANCE
ROOM: Contains facsimile and circuit patching facilities, teletype

printers and circuits, magnetic tape recorders, plotting

and drafting boards and related equipment.

2-

I
 AIR-TRANSPORTABLE SATELLITE COMMUNTCATIONS TERMINAL
LAKFVg]- NR-..T

ANTENNA TYPE solid skin honeycomb paraboloid reflector

REFLECTOR SIZE: 30 feet

REFLECTOR MATERIAL: aluminum

WEIGHT: 5C,000 lbs.

DRIVES: electromechanical

AXIS TRAVELS: elevation= -5° to +185°; azimuth= continuous 3600

RADOME: none

TRACKING ACCURACY: ±0.05 degrees

SYSTEM ARRAY 11 vans and trailers +2 additional NASA vehicles

for telemetry aid. command

OPERATING PERSONNEL: 12 men communications; 5 men T&C.

ASSEMBLY: 12 menu 2 days for communications station

AMBIENT OPERATING
TEMPERATURE RANGE. -250 to +1300 F.
LOCATION: Lakehurst N.J. Naval Air Station

PRIME CONTRACTOR: Bendix Radio Division - communications

Hughes Aircraft (NASA contract) - T&C
SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS

TRANSMIrIER: One FM, SHF (7300) me), 20 KW output, w/frequency

stabilization of 1 part in 106

RECEIVER: One UHF (1800 me), w/selectable IF bandwidths of

10, 40 & 100 KC, operating at a system noise

temperature of 200 0 K

ANTENNA: Prime focus horn feeds - SHF feed is RHC polarized,

UHF is linear polarized conical scan, automatic

tracking, with reflector surface tolerance of

0.065 inches maximum, 1st side lobe attenuation

of 22.5 db nominal, both UHF and SHF, receiving

gain 42 db nominal, transmitter gain 54 db nominal.

COMMUNICATIONS
CAPACITY: An analog input of baseband bandwidths of 4, 20

& 50 KC.

TRACKING SYSTEM: Double conversion AM superhetrodyne receiver, with

AFC, AGC, swept 2d IF, post-detection narrowing &

amplification, target acquisition, and switchable

mission-dependent parameters.

TELEMETRY SYSTEM:
SUPPLIED BY NASA 2 watt satellite transmitter, PAM/FM/PM modulation,

VHF (138 me), satellite antenna gain=-4.5 db;

ground antenna gain=+23 db; telemetry rate of

4 channels per second.

COMMAND SYSTEM:
SUPPLIED BY NASA 3 KW transmitter, AM modulation (consisting of 2

tones, each 50% modulation); VHF (148 mc) w/l

cross-polarized yagi antenna.

a 2 -
SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS

POWER SOURCES: 3 vans w/diesel engine generators capable of

200 KW of 266/460 volt, 3 phase for communications

system, 1 van with 40 KW diesel engine generator

for T&C operation.

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 NAVY SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS SHIPBOARD TERMINAL (NSCST)

ANTENNA TYPE: solid skin paraboloid reflector

REFLECTOR SIZE: 30 ft. diameter

REFLECTOR MATEPIAL: aluminum

WEIGHT: 48,ooo lbs.

DRIVES: amplidyne powered direct drive motors

STABILIZATION: 3 axes

AXIS TRAVELS: traverse= + or -25°

elevation= -15° to +1350
train= 3600 continuous

RADOME: pressurized 53-ft. hypalon coated dacron

TRACKING ACCURACY: ±0.05 degrees

SYSTEM STRUCTURE: USNS Kingsport, 11,000 ton, 455-ft. former

Victory ship w/lO,O00 mile range at 15 knots

sustained speed.

OPERATING PERSONNEL: 52 project personnel + ship's crew of 74

LOCATION: on station at Lagos, Nigeria

SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS

PRIME CONTRACTORS: Bendix Systems Div. (Overall System)

General Electric Ordnance, (Antenna System)

RCA Service Co. (Phase 1 Modification Planning)

Booz Allen (System Analysis & Management

Assistance)

TRANSMITTER: One FM, SHF (7300 mc), 20 KW output w/frequency

stabilization of 1 part in 106

RECEIVER: One UHF (1800 mc), w/selectable IF bandwidths of

10, 40 & 100 KC, operating at a system noise

temperature of 2030K.

ANTENNA: Prime focus horn feed. SHF feed is RHC; UHF

feed is interchangeable - RHC or linear polarized;

spiral scan automatic tracking, with reflector

surface tolerance of 0.0625 inches for outer zone

and 0.0313 inches for center zone; 1st side lobe

attenuation (UHF and SHF) at 20 db transmitting

gain of 53 do, receiving gain of 40 db. Will

operate at temperatures of +120 to +1220F.

COMMUNICATIONS
CAPACITY: An analog input of baseband bandwidths of 4, 20

and 50 KC.

TRACKING SYSTEM: Double conversion AM superhetrodyne receiver with

AFC, AGC, swept 2nd IF, post-detection narr,)wir ,

and application, satellite acquisition, and

switchable mission-dependent parameters.

-2-
SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS

TELEMETRY AND
COMMAND SYSTEMS
SUPPLIED BY NASA): VHF Operation - uses one cross polarized yagi 4

antenna for transmitting and eight for receiving.

Transmitter is rated at 3 KW carrier, capable of

continuous 100% modulation. Receiver is low

noise superhetrodyne, capable of receiving AM

or PM signals.

POWER SOURCE: Ship's generators, produce 600 KW, 220v ac.

-3 -
 SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS TERMINAL (SCT/FORT DIX/CAMP ROBrERTS)

ANTENNA TYPE: solid skin, honeycomb paraboloid reflector

REFLECTOR SIZE: 60-foot

REFLECTOR MATERIAL: aluminum

WEIGHT: 190 tons

DRIVES: electromechanical

AXIS TRAVELS: eJevation= -5' to +1850; azimuth= continuous 3600

RADOME: none

TRACKING ACCURACY: ± 0.024 degrees

SYSTEM STRUCTURE: 65 foot steel antenna tower on concrete foundation

30 ft. deep by 84 ft. in diameter, w/reflector

E op pedestal base & bridge superstructure;

200 ft. long covered passageway to 6,000 square

feet Operations building.

OPERATING PERSONNEL: 25 to 30 (Single Shift Basis)

SYSTEM OPERATING
TEMPERATURES: constant (air conditioned station)
SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM (SYNCOM USE)

LOCATIONS: Ft Dix, N.J., Camp Roberts, Calif.

PRIME CONTRACTORS: Sylvania Electric Products (antenna and station

construction)

Bendix Systems Div. (communications equ'Dment)

Philco Corp. (TT&C equipment)

TRANSMITTER: One FM SHF (7300 me), 20 KW output w/frequency

stabilization of 1 part in 106

RECEIVER:: One UTH (1800 me), w/selectable IF bandwidths of

± 40 & 100 KC, operating at a system noise

temperature of 180'K.

ANTENNA: Prime focus horn feeds, circular polarized, conical

scan .utomatic tracking with reflector surface

tolerance of 0.04 inches maximum deviation, 1st

side lobe attenuation of 25 db; transmitting gain

60 db, recei-ing gain of 48.25 db. Will operate

over ambient temperature range of -25° to +115'F

(+solar effect)

COMMUNICATIONS
CAPACITY: An analog input of baseband bandwidths of 4, 20 &

50 KC.

POWER SOURCE: 4400 Volt, 3 phase commercial power with 750 KW

diesel engine generator complex backup.

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