Sensitivity of modulation index in satellite communication link analysis

The development of more efficient and reliable satellite communication systems requires more accurate link closure information between ground station and spacecraft or aircraft through developing effective coding and modulation techniques especially for deep space communication systems. Relations of modulation index with bandwidth, bit-error rate, signal to noise ratio, ranging, commanding, telemetry, and carrier power losses have been investigated and compared with hardware simulation results of Clementine (or Deep Space Program Science Experiment, (DSPSE) satellite communication links). Most criteria are characterized in terms of the BER, loop bandwidth to data rate ratio, signal-to-noise ratio, and modulation index. The results show that modulation indices exert a significant influence on satellite communication links, and that there exists an optimum range of modulation index which can be determined through the proposed analytical aspects of modulation index range determination for different aspects of ranging, command, telemetry, and carrier power losses