On-board processing techniques for application in a business telecommunications satellite payload

This paper presents a selective overview of a study into On-Board Processing (OBP) techniques applied to telecommunications satellites. It describes a representative set of business system mission requirements which are used to define the principle functions needed within the OBP payload. The functions relating to translating up link frequency division channels to time division and baseband switching are investigated. Use of simulation and simple breadboarding has supplemented initial theoretical trade-offs. A specification for a prototype demonstrator incorporating the selected designs is outlined.