Abstract: | The development of the advanced communications technology satellite (ACTS) mobile terminal (AMT) and its follow-on, the broadband aeronautical terminal (BAT), have provided an excellent testbed for the evaluation of K- and Ka-band mobile satellite communications systems. Such systems have proved viable for many different commercial and government applications. Combining emerging satellite communications technologies such as ACTS' highly focused spotbeams with the smaller, higher-gain K- and Ka-band antenna technology, results in system designs that can support significantly higher throughput capacity than today's current commercial systems. An overview of both of these terminals is presented in this paper. |