"This book provides in-depth information on the "OSI physical layer" of satellite communications. It is organized into three parts: (1) the payload hardware and its specification as needed by a payload systems engineer who is just learning, needs a reference, or is updating their knowledge; (2) various categories of spacecraft and their end-to-end (i.e. ground-to-satellite-to-ground) systems, with detailed information on the system purpose, what the payload is and why, and how the payload interacts with the rest of the system to achieve its purpose; and (3) detailed end-to-end system-level topics such as the communications link, comm theory for payload engineers, satellite comm simulation, and the effect of payload imperfections on the signal. Some of the benefits of the second edition include enhancements to the antenna chapter and other chapters"-- |