FISCHER@RUTGERS (05/10/83)
From: Ron <FISCHER@RUTGERS> I recently heard that we're running out of space over North America in which to place geosynch satellites. Apparently they can't be spaced closer than 2 degrees (?) or we can't discriminate them from the ground. This doesn't sound very reasonable. Could the satellites be spaced closer and operated on different radio channels? Also, are geosynch orbits neccessarily over the equator? (ron) -------
gwyn@Brl-Vld.ARPA (05/10/83)
From: Doug Gwyn (VLD/VMB) <gwyn@Brl-Vld.ARPA> The closer the angular spacing of the satellites, the larger a dish antenna has to be to resolve them. The problem arises with direct- broadcast TV satellites and the use of AM; this limits the number of possible spectrum slots. To track a satellite with a fixed disk, the satellite does have to be geosynchronous over the equator.