Spatial MIMO over satellite: A proof of concept

If multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) satellite communications (SATCOM) systems use spatial multiplexing instead of polarization multiplexing, the channel capacity depends on the geometrical conditions of the antenna setup. This theoretical result is proven and confirmed for the first time by a true-MIMO measurement campaign. We utilize two Ku-band satellites and a ground station with two antennas as a 2 × 2 MIMO SATCOM probing system. The channel capacity is estimated and compared to its theoretical prediction. Moreover, an error analysis is provided for the capacity estimation.