Comparison of low and medium orbit systems for future satellite personal communications

Several satellite systems have been recently proposed for provision of mobile and personal services via low earth orbits (LEOs) or medium earth orbits (MEOs). Comparison of different system alternatives is difficult due to the complex interaction between system elements. The authors consider a comparison of LEOs and MEOs on the basis of a few important parameters that affect telecommunications service quality. The factors considered are coverage areas, handover times, and link unavailability. Results have been obtained for various study cases, selected among satellite systems recently presented in the literature