On-board digital signal processing technologies for present and future SCPC systems

Devices and architectures for on-board SCPC (single channel per carrier) multi-carrier demodulators suitable for use in satellites to be launched between the present and the year 2000 are discussed in the light of trends in the development of device technology towards lower on-board weight and power consumption. It is shown that at the present time (equivalent to about 1990 for on-board use). The choice of demodulation scheme depends on the number of channels available for regeneration on board the satellite. The total weight and power consumption for several suitable on-board multicarrier demodulation schemes are predicted for 1990, 1995 and 2000, as functions of the number of channels to be regenerated.