(U) Global Broadcast Service (GBS) Terminals

(The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).)

Overview: (U)
(U) The receive suite of the Global Broadcast Service (GBS) Terminals includes the receive terminal, cryptographic equipment (when required), and the receive broadcast management equipment.  The receive terminal will consist of a small satellite antenna and receiver equipment that will receive and convert downlink GBS radio frequency (RF) signal into a bit stream.  The receive broadcast management equipment will provide the functions necessary to convert the broadcast into a video and Defense Information Infrastructure (DII) and the Common Operating Environment (COE) compatible format.  The receive suite will be owned, operated, and fielded to lower echelons.  

Description: (U)
(U) GBS Terminals will provide the receive element to the GBS Phase II transmitters on UHF Follow-on (UFO) satellites 8-10 and the Phase III transmitters on the Advanced Wideband Satellite.  The terminals will receive broadcasts at variable data rates in accordance with the beam and terminal combinations.  Terminals will be capable of adjusting their receive data rate to correspond to changes in the broadcast data rate within 1o seconds.  The GBS Terminals will be able to receive one transponder data stream at a time from a single satellite and simultaneously receive 4 transponder streams from a single satellite.  The receive terminals will be able to acquire and continuously receive satellite downlink in less than 5 minutes for GBS Phase II Terminals and 3 minutes for GBS Phase III Terminals after initial hardware setup.  Phase II GBS Terminals will be able to receive at the UFO GBS frequency of 20.2-21.2 GHz.  An objective requirement of the GBS Terminals will be to receive at one or more commercial frequency band.  

(U)  GBS Terminals will include Fixed Ground Receive Terminals (FGRTs), Transportable Ground Receive Terminals (TGRTs), Airborne Receive Terminals (ARTs), Shipboard Receive Terminals (SRTs), Sub Surface (Submarine) Receive Terminals (SSRTs), Ground Mobile Receive Terminal (GMRTs), and Manpack Receive Terminals (MRTs).  The FGRTs are to inlcude antennas capable of operating in blowing sand, dust, and snow environments during 45 mph sustained winds, 60 mph gusts in -25 degree F to 110 degree F climatic condictions at all humidity levels.  Antenna cross section is not to exceed 1 meter in Phase II and 24 inches in Phase III.  Minimum availability of the terminal is to be 97% and the terminal is to be capable of received commercial Ku band transmissions between 10.5-13.5 GHz.

(U) The Transportable Ground Receive Terminals incorporate many of the same requirements of the FRGTs but are to be contained in protective, impact resistant  transit cases which are water tight, offer a means of physical security, not exceed two-pwerson lift weight limit with equipment, and can be lifted by two persons.  The threshold maximum one-man set-up time requirement from transport configuration to receive configuration is 1 hour.  The Phase II objective and Phase III threshold is 30 minutes for one-man set-up.  Set-up must also be conducted without special tools and in full MOPP IV nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) protective gear or cold weather clothing.  

(U) The Airborne Receive Terminals will be interopable with on-board systems (e.g., power, cooling, and weapon systems) and be flight certified.  The ARTs will also be capable of receiving GBS broadcasts at an attitude with 30 degrees up pitch and 30 degrees roll from leel flight.  

(U) The Shipboard Receive Terminals will be protected by a radome or other protective cover capable of protecting the equipment to withstand conditions of salt spray and icing from -4 degrees to 122 degrees F.  The above deck equipment will be capable of operating in winds of 75 knots and shall be capable of surviving winds up to 100 knots.  The terminal will be designed to operate in sea state 5 and survive sea state 6.  The SRT antenna will provide unlimited azimuth motion and a -10 degree to 100 degree range of elevation.  The terminal shall also receive a the frequencies of 19.2-20.2 GHz (commercial Ka-band) and 10.5-13.5 GHz (commercial Ku band).  The SRT  suite will conform to the standard 19 inch equipment rack configuration and operate on existing shipboard power.

(U) The Sub Surface Receive Terminal antenna may be as small as 16 inches in diamter and must be mast retractable and all external components shall be capable of withstanding submarine environmental and operating conditions to test depth pressures and salt water environments.  SSRT and all below decks equipment must be able to pass through a 25 inch hatch with minimum dissassembly.

(U) Characteristics/Description;
 -- Provides high data rate one-way satellite broadcast for a variety of video, data, imagery and intelligenc products
 -- Filters and routes downlink information products with multiple levels of security
 -- Broadcast information is coordinated and packaged in smart-push/user-pull products
 -- Supports a program guide with user profiling and interfaces with end user equipment

(U) Special features;
 -- Transportable Theater Injection point broadcasts theater generated information products under direction of CINCs
 -- receive Suite equipment mounted in transit cases for quick reception of information products that enhance Commanders Battlefield Awareness

(U) The Ground Mobile Receive Terminal will be capable of receiving and processing GBS downlink data while on the move.

(U) The Manpack Receive Terminal will be a manpackable version suitable for special operations.  

User Impact: (U)
(U) None.

Programmatics: (U)
(U) Operational.

Related Initiatives: (U)
(U) Adv Wideband Satellite (AWS), GBS Phase II, Talon KNIGHT

Related Requirements: (U)
(U) None.

Related Categories: (U)
(U) Other Terminals

Road Map Placements: (U)
(U) MILSATCOM, National Security Space Road Map.

Lead Office: (U)
(U) DoD.

Date of Information: (U)
21 November 1997

(The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).)