# [TECH] Satellite Communications
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**Satellite Communications** uses spacecraft in geosynchronous and low Earth orbit to relay telecommunications signals globally, enabling intercontinental telephony, television broadcasting, internet, and navigation.
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## Overview
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Arthur C. Clarke proposed geosynchronous communication satellites in 1945. Telstar 1 (1962, AT&T/Bell Labs) was the first active communication satellite. INTELSAT I (Early Bird, 1965) carried 240 telephone circuits. Ku-band direct broadcast (1970s–80s) enabled satellite TV. Low Earth Orbit constellations (Iridium 1998; Starlink 2019–) provide low-latency broadband globally. GPS and Earth observation satellites are also communication-technology descendants.
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## Key Actors
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- **Companies**: INTELSAT (1964), AT&T/Bell Labs, Hughes Aircraft, SES (1985), SpaceX/Starlink (2019), OneWeb
- **Inventors**: Harold Rosen (1926–2017, geosynchronous satellite pioneer)
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## Key Patents
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- Rosen, H. et al. US Patent 3,653,627 (1972) — spin-stabilised geostationary satellite
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## Economic Value
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Global satellite communications market: **$125 billion/year** (2023, NSR). Including satellite manufacturing, launch, and services. Starlink alone targets $30B/year revenue by 2025 (SpaceX internal projection).
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## Notes
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NSR *Satellite Communications Market Report* 2023. GPS (separate node) adds $2T+/year but is primarily navigation rather than communications.
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# Parents
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* [TECH] Rocket & Space Launch⏎