SAT02-4: Performance Impacts of a DS-CDMA System for Satellite Communications On The Move Applications

This paper examines a direct-sequence code division multiple access (DS-CDMA) system for the reverse link in satellite communications on the move applications. In order to limit interference to adjacent satellites, strict limits on the effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) spectral density are established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). Performance analysis of the DS-CDMA is carried out subject to this transmit power limitations and in the presence of channel and system impairments that are typically encountered in Ku-band (14-GHz band) satellite systems. Specific impairments considered are: small signal variations due to environmental conditions which are typically modeled by lognormal shadowing, atmospheric scintillations, and motion induced antenna pointing errors. Also, a novel methodology is developed to characterize motion induced antenna pointing errors and their impact on the system performance.