Abstract :
This paper describes briefly different satellite systems that address mainly two areas in full evolution, namely : the mobile telephony and the multimedia. New infrastructures, based on the deployment of cellular network and mobile terminal, allow the user to receive, located anywhere on the land area and at any given time, information and necessary data for its private or professional activities. The new low orbit satellite systems, as Iridium and Globalstar, envisage a world coverage, they will complete in zones of strong density, cellular systems. All of the multimedia systems are intended to substatially expand the role of space-based communications, they are larger and more capable in every aspect than the current satellite systems. The multimedia satellite system will provide up 2 Mbits/s directly to the user. Multimedia are a major opportunity for the satellite communications industry.
