Astrolink/sup TM/ satellite system overview

Lockheed Martin's Astrolink/sup TM/ system is currently in active development. Astrolink will provide global bandwidth-on-demand digital communications utilizing a constellation of nine Ka-Band geosynchronous satellites deployed in five orbital locations and interconnected by means of inter-satellite links. The Astrolink satellites will employ high gain spot beams, adaptive coding in response to rain, and on-board packet switching based on the Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network protocol. Astrolink will provide both "dial-up" user access and secure virtual private networks which will allow business, government and individual users to extend their communications-voice, data and video-throughout the world at an affordable cost and with improved reliability, thus bringing one step closer the vision of a Global Information Infrastructure.