CLO 1.1
Explain advanced concepts and principles related to a selected contemporary topic in electrical and electronics engineering.
EE 499 · Special Topics
Satellite Communications
Follow the engineering chain from orbital motion and propagation to antennas, links, spacecraft, ground stations, coverage, and complete communication systems.
Course environment
Learn first, then explore further
Weekly lessons are the main teaching path. Laboratories, original notes, discussions, and references support that sequence without replacing it.
Learn
- Week 1 — Orbital MechanicsGravity, Kepler's laws, orbit geometry, velocity, period, and orbit classes.
- Week 2 — Classical Orbital ElementsSix orbital elements and their three-dimensional ECI interpretation.
- Week 3 — Geostationary Orbit & Earth-Station GeometryGEO conditions, antenna look angles, visibility, and Molniya motivation.
- Week 4 — Perturbations, TLEs & TimeOrbit perturbations, TLE refresher, the ground-track pipeline, and UTC, Julian date and sidereal time.
- Week 5 — From Orbit to the RF LinkChoosing a link frequency, the ionosphere, antenna directivity, satellite bands, transmission structures, Maxwell's equations, and rectangular waveguide design.
- Week 6 — Practical Waveguides and Transmission StructuresRectangular recap and the single-mode window, circular waveguides, standard sizes and hardware including WR-340, coaxial cable as the TEM contrast, and choosing a structure.
- Week 7 — Fields Inside the WaveguidePropagation, cutoff and evanescent decay of the TE10 mode, guided wavelength, and a guided WR-340 activity with the Waveguide Field Explorer.
- Week 8 — RF Transmission, Impedance, Mismatch & S-ParametersWhere RF power goes, characteristic impedance, reflection, return loss and VSWR, S-parameters and the VNA, connectors, and an RF path.
- Week 9 — Radio-Wave Propagation & the Satellite LinkSpreading and free-space loss, gain and EIRP, effective aperture, atmospheric and rain loss, and the decibel link budget.
Explore
- Interactive LabsEngineering tools connected to weekly lessons.
- dB Gym — RF Units PracticeAuxiliary material: dB, dBm, dBW and friends, practised until fluent.
- Student Tracker ProjectsTracker applications built by student groups, to compare and learn from.
- Orbit FlashcardsRevision deck on orbit types and the missions best suited to each.
- SatCom & Space DiscussionsSupplementary context beyond the linear lesson path.
Reference
Course introduction
One system, many engineering domains
This learning space complements—not replaces—the classroom conversation.
Satellite Communications brings motion, electromagnetics, antennas, signal transmission, spacecraft payloads, and ground infrastructure into one system-level story. We will connect physical geometry to the communication decisions it creates.
Course identity
Satellite Communications is the instructor-authorized subject for this offering of EE 499, whose official curriculum title is Special Topics In Electrical and Electronics Engineering.
The curriculum record supplies no offering-specific description or topic schedule; the narrative on this page is student-oriented teaching context.
Official EE 499 curriculum
Course learning outcomes
CLO 2.1
Analyze engineering problems associated with the selected topic using appropriate theoretical and computational methods.
CLO 2.2
Apply relevant engineering tools, techniques, or methodologies to investigate problems related to the selected topic.
CLO 2.3
Evaluate alternative approaches, technologies, or solutions within the selected topic using appropriate technical criteria.
CLO 2.4
Develop a solution, model, system, or study addressing a problem related to the selected topic.
CLO 3.1
Demonstrate professional responsibility and independent learning in communicating developments related to the selected topic.
Wording and internal SO mappings above are reproduced exactly from the authoritative EE 499 curriculum record.
How we will learn
Reason, visualize, compute
Learn independently
Independent/self-directed learning and flipped classroom.
Model & solve
Simulation and computer-based learning with guided problem solving and tutorials.
Design & communicate
Design- and project-based learning, technical communication, and technical discussion.
Official assessment methods
Quizzes; homework and classwork assignments; major and final exams; simulation/computational assignments; oral technical presentation; design project assignment; and prototype/system demonstration.
This consolidated list reports official methods only. No assessment weights are present in the record.
Course landscape
A connected engineering chain
Orbital mechanics
→
Geometry & coverage
→
Propagation
→
Antennas
→
Link budgets & noise
→
Payloads & ground systems
→
Communication architectures
This is a broad teaching landscape, not an official week-by-week syllabus.
Weekly learning modules
Start here
Week 1
Orbital Mechanics Week 2
Classical Orbital Elements Week 3
GEO & Earth-Station Geometry Week 4
Perturbations, TLEs & Time Week 5
From Orbit to the RF Link Week 6
Practical Waveguides Week 7
Fields Inside the Waveguide Week 8
RF Transmission & S-Parameters Week 9
Propagation & the Link Budget
Orbital Mechanics Week 2
Classical Orbital Elements Week 3
GEO & Earth-Station Geometry Week 4
Perturbations, TLEs & Time Week 5
From Orbit to the RF Link Week 6
Practical Waveguides Week 7
Fields Inside the Waveguide Week 8
RF Transmission & S-Parameters Week 9
Propagation & the Link Budget
Weeks 1 through 9 are implemented; no later schedule is implied.