Orbita satellite communication station: a dream job. Satellite communication station “Orbita”: dream job Classification and main indicators

45 years ago, on November 2, 1967, the first domestic satellite system for communication and distribution of television and radio programs, Orbita, was officially opened. Its operation was ensured by the ground stations of the same name and the Molniya-1 spacecraft, which were developed at JSC Information Satellite Systems named after Academician M.F. Reshetnev".

The satellite system was intended for telegraph and telephone communications, as well as the transmission of television programs on the territory of the USSR. Its opening made it possible to increase the audience of the first channel of All-Union television by 20 million people, primarily in remote corners of the country: in the Urals, Siberia and the Far East.

To organize the operation of the Orbit system, highly elliptical Molniya-1 satellites were used. The first such device created at OKB-1 S.P. Korolev, began operating in 1965. At the stage of its flight tests, the project was transferred to the young OKB-10 team under the leadership of M.F. Reshetnev, whose specialists significantly improved the on-board systems of the satellite, thereby ensuring a significant improvement in the quality of the services it provides. The first spacecraft, Molniya-1, created on Siberian soil, was launched into orbit in May 1967. It was followed by two more launches. This made it possible to complete a national-scale task - to begin operating a space communications system based on the Molniya-1 satellites for the 50th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution.

Simultaneously with the creation of satellites, from 1965 to 1967 in the USSR, the construction of Orbit ground stations with antennas with a diameter of 12 meters was carried out, which “monitored” the position of spacecraft. In the first year of operation, Orbit included 20 ground stations; in 1974, more than 50 stations were operating, and by 1977 there were already more than 70.

Team M.F. Reshetnyov constantly worked to improve the characteristics of the Molniya-1 spacecraft. The company's specialists found new technical solutions to increase their power and throughput. Soon, on the basis of the Molniya-1 platform, the next generation satellites were created - Molniya-2 and Molniya-3 - with fairly high characteristics, which provided communication services in the country for many years.

The creation of Orbit was a real scientific and technical breakthrough of that time. This is the world's first national satellite communications and television broadcasting system in highly elliptical orbits. Following the USSR, similar systems began to appear in other countries.

And the CIS countries of the Central Asian region.

Story

On May 1, 1965, an experiment was conducted to relay DH programs via the Molniya-1 communications satellite to the Far East.

For the most complete coverage of the population in the USSR, they began to build a giant collective receiving network “Orbit”. In 1967, the first 20 stations were put into operation. Remote areas of the Far North, Far East and Central Asia received the opportunity to watch Central Television. The first program was created in Moscow, and four of its takes, depending on time zones, were broadcast in the recording to the appropriate zone.

The Orbita system was based on the Molniya-1 satellite system. The number of receiving stations was increased to 69. American engineers also tried to launch a similar system, but were unable to reach the technical level of the USSR. The repeaters of the Soviet satellite were eight times more powerful than the American ones.

The Orbita system began regular operation on November 2, 1967, when the TV center was opened in Ostankino. The broadcasts were intended for the Far North, Siberia, the Far East and Central Asia. In 1971, a duplicate of the first program was transmitted to the Urals, Central Asia and part of Kazakhstan - the “East” program, taking into account standard time. Since January 1, 1976, Ostankino has been broadcasting on eight channels: in addition to the four main programs, four more takes of the First Program via the Orbita satellite system are transmitted specifically for the eastern territories of the USSR with a time shift of +2, +4, +6 and +8 hours. Thus, the first episode of the “Time” program on the Orbita-1 system was aired at 12:30 Moscow time. The Ekran satellite system, which became operational on October 26, 1976, makes it possible to receive digital transmissions to public receivers in populated areas of Siberia and the Far North. Since January 1, 1977, all CT programs have been broadcast in color.

On January 1, 1982, Central Television rescheduled its programs: the evening Fourth became the Second program, the all-Union status of which was ensured by four takes for the eastern territories. She began work at 8:00 and, after a day break, resumed broadcasting at 18:00 with the release of “News”.

Current network status

Currently, Channel One, using the Orbita system, broadcasts to five zones (the orbits are also indicated during prevention):

• Zone A - Kamchatka, Chukotka, Magadan, Sakhalin (“Orbita-1”, time zones +8, +9);
• Zone B - Far East, Eastern Siberia (“Orbita-2”, time zones +6, +7);
• Zone B - Central Siberia (“Orbita-3”, time zones +3, +4, +5);
• Zone G - Western Siberia (“Orbita-4”, time zones +2, +3);
• Zone D - Central Russia (“Orbita-5”, time zones −1, 0, +1).

On February 1, 2007, the NTV channel launched, as stated on the website, “ fifth orbit - especially for residents of Siberia". Viewers of Novosibirsk, Barnaul, Tomsk, Omsk and some other cities of Siberia (with a time that was 3 hours ahead of Moscow at that time) can now watch the channel’s programs at the same time as Muscovites. Its production was discontinued in June 2016 due to the transfer of most regions from MSC+3 time to MSC+4 time.

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Excerpt characterizing Orbit (TV network)

“Yes, this is impossible,” said Prince Andrei, as if about a long-decided matter.
Pierre looked at him in surprise.
“However,” he said, “they say that war is like a chess game.”
“Yes,” said Prince Andrei, “only with this small difference that in chess you can think about every step as much as you like, that you are there outside the conditions of time, and with this difference that a knight is always stronger than a pawn and two pawns are always stronger.” one, and in war one battalion is sometimes stronger than a division, and sometimes weaker than a company. The relative strength of the troops cannot be known to anyone. Believe me,” he said, “if anything depended on the orders of the headquarters, I would have been there and made the orders, but instead I have the honor of serving here, in the regiment with these gentlemen, and I think that we really tomorrow will depend, not on them... Success has never depended and will not depend on position, weapons, or even numbers; and least of all from the position.
- And from what?
“From the feeling that is in me, in him,” he pointed to Timokhin, “in every soldier.”
Prince Andrei looked at Timokhin, who looked at his commander in fear and bewilderment. In contrast to his previous restrained silence, Prince Andrei now seemed agitated. He apparently could not resist expressing those thoughts that unexpectedly came to him.
– The battle will be won by the one who is determined to win it. Why did we lose the battle at Austerlitz? Our loss was almost equal to that of the French, but we told ourselves very early that we had lost the battle - and we lost. And we said this because we had no need to fight there: we wanted to leave the battlefield as quickly as possible. “If you lose, then run away!” - we ran. If we hadn’t said this until the evening, God knows what would have happened. And tomorrow we won’t say this. You say: our position, the left flank is weak, the right flank is stretched,” he continued, “all this is nonsense, there is none of this.” What do we have in store for tomorrow? A hundred million of the most varied contingencies that will be decided instantly by the fact that they or ours ran or will run, that they will kill this one, they will kill the other; and what is being done now is all fun. The fact is that those with whom you traveled in position not only do not contribute to the general course of affairs, but interfere with it. They are busy only with their own small interests.
- At such a moment? - Pierre said reproachfully.
“At such a moment,” repeated Prince Andrei, “for them it is only such a moment in which they can dig under the enemy and get an extra cross or ribbon.” For me, for tomorrow this is this: a hundred thousand Russian and a hundred thousand French troops came together to fight, and the fact is that these two hundred thousand are fighting, and whoever fights angrier and feels less sorry for himself will win. And if you want, I’ll tell you that, no matter what it is, no matter what is confused up there, we will win the battle tomorrow. Tomorrow, no matter what, we will win the battle!
“Here, your Excellency, the truth, the true truth,” said Timokhin. - Why feel sorry for yourself now! The soldiers in my battalion, would you believe it, didn’t drink vodka: it’s not such a day, they say. - Everyone was silent.
The officers stood up. Prince Andrei went out with them outside the barn, giving the last orders to the adjutant. When the officers left, Pierre approached Prince Andrei and was just about to start a conversation when the hooves of three horses clattered along the road not far from the barn, and, looking in this direction, Prince Andrei recognized Wolzogen and Clausewitz, accompanied by a Cossack. They drove close, continuing to talk, and Pierre and Andrey involuntarily heard the following phrases:
– Der Krieg muss im Raum verlegt werden. Der Ansicht kann ich nicht genug Preis geben, [War must be transferred to space. I cannot praise this view enough (German)] - said one.
“O ja,” said another voice, “da der Zweck ist nur den Feind zu schwachen, so kann man gewiss nicht den Verlust der Privatpersonen in Achtung nehmen.” [Oh yes, since the goal is to weaken the enemy, the losses of private individuals cannot be taken into account]
“O ja, [Oh yes (German)],” confirmed the first voice.
“Yes, im Raum verlegen, [transfer into space (German)],” Prince Andrei repeated, snorting angrily through his nose, when they passed. – Im Raum then [In space (German)] I still have a father, a son, and a sister in Bald Mountains. He doesn't care. This is what I told you - these German gentlemen will not win the battle tomorrow, but will only spoil how much their strength will be, because in his German head there are only arguments that are not worth a damn, and in his heart there is nothing that is only and what is needed for tomorrow is what is in Timokhin. They gave all of Europe to him and came to teach us - glorious teachers! – his voice squealed again.

Story

TV system "Orbit"

The Orbita system began regular operation on November 2, 1967, when the TV center was opened in Ostankino. The broadcasts were intended for the Far North, Siberia, the Far East and Central Asia. In 1971, a duplicate of the first program was transmitted to the Urals, Central Asia and part of Kazakhstan - the “Vostok” program, taking into account standard time. Since January 1, 1976, Ostankino has been broadcasting on eight channels: in addition to the four main programs, four more takes of the First Program via the Orbita satellite system are transmitted specifically for the eastern territories of the USSR with a time shift of +2, +4, +6 and +8 hours. Thus, the first episode of the “Time” program on the Orbita-1 system was aired at 12:30 Moscow time. The Ekran satellite system, which went into operation on October 26, 1976, allows you to receive digital transmissions to public receivers in populated areas of Siberia and the Far North. Since January 1, 1977, all CT programs have been broadcast in color.

On January 1, 1982, Central Television rescheduled its programs: the evening Fourth became the Second program, the all-Union status of which was ensured by four takes for the eastern territories. She began work at 8:00 and, after a day break, resumed broadcasting at 18:00 with the release of “News”.

Current network status

Currently, Channel One, using the Orbita system, broadcasts to five zones (the orbits are also indicated during prevention):

• Zone A - Kamchatka, Chukotka, Magadan, Sakhalin (“Orbita-1”, time zones +7, +8);
• Zone B - Far East, Eastern Siberia (“Orbita-2”, time zones +6, +7);
• Zone B - Central Siberia (“Orbita-3”, time zones +3, +4);
• Zone G - Western Siberia (“Orbita-4”, time zones +2, +3);
• Zone D - Central Russia (“Orbita-5”, time zones −1, 0).

On February 1, 2007, the NTV channel launched, as stated on the website, “ fifth orbit - especially for residents of Siberia". Viewers of Novosibirsk, Barnaul, Tomsk, Omsk and some other Siberian cities can now watch the channel’s programs at the same time as Muscovites.

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• Forty years ago, Soviet designers invented the first television system "Orbita"

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• Orbivariety
• Orbital plane

See what “Orbit (TV network)” is in other dictionaries:

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"ORBIT"- name of the satellite communication system. Molniya 1 communication satellites have been used in the system since 1965, Molniya 3 satellites since 1974 (in 1971–1977 Molniya 2 satellites were also in operation). The system includes transmitting and receiving earth stations (see figure). The first 20 stations... ... Large Encyclopedic Polytechnic Dictionary - Stylized image of the interplanetary transport network. The green stripe is one of many possible paths located on the surface of the light green pipe. Places where the green polo... Wikipedia

History of the creation and development of domestic satellite communication and broadcasting systems

M.A. Bykhovsky, M.N. Dyachkova

The idea of ​​creating global satellite communication systems on Earth was put forward in 1945 by Arthur C. Clarke, who later became a famous science fiction writer. The implementation of this idea became possible only 12 years after the advent of ballistic missiles, with the help of which the first artificial Earth satellite (AES) was launched into orbit on October 4, 1957. To control the flight of the satellite, a small radio transmitter was placed on it - a beacon operating in the 27 MHz range. A few years later, on April 12, 1961, for the first time in the world, Yu. A. Gagarin made a historic flight around the Earth on the Soviet spaceship Vostok. At the same time, the astronaut had regular communication with the Earth via radio. Thus began systematic work on the study and use of outer space to solve various peaceful problems.

The creation of space technology has made possible the development of very effective long-distance radio communication and broadcasting systems. Intensive work has begun in the United States to create communications satellites. Such work has begun to unfold in our country. Its huge territory and poor development of communications, especially in sparsely populated eastern regions, where the creation of communication networks using other technical means (RRL, cable lines, etc.) is associated with high costs, made this new type of communication very promising.

The origins of the creation of domestic satellite radio systems were outstanding domestic scientists and engineers who headed large scientific centers. The decisive role was played by the spacecraft and their carriers created at the Applied Mechanics Research and Production Association, headed by S.P. Korolev’s student, Academician M.F. Reshetnev. Onboard repeaters for the first communication satellites were developed at the Moscow Scientific Research Institute of Radio Communications (MNIIRS) under the leadership of M. R. Kaplanov. Satellite systems were created to solve various problems by specialists from a number of organizations.

Below we talk about the creation of domestic satellite radio communication systems for civilian use and satellite broadcasting systems, in the development and implementation of which specialists from the Scientific Research Institute of Radio (NIIR) played a key role.

On the initiative of the director of NIIR, prof. A.D. Fortushenko already in 1960 created a special laboratory at the institute and began to form a team of qualified specialists in the field of satellite communications. N.I. Kalashnikov was appointed head of the laboratory. Its members included V. L. Bykov, O. S. Krapotin, E. G. Okhtyarkin, L. Ya. Kantor, M. Z. Tseitlin, V. M. Krylov and a number of other employees. In 1965, on the basis of a laboratory dealing with satellite problems, a department of satellite communications and broadcasting was created under the leadership of N. I. Kalashnikov. Soon N.I. Kalashnikov moved to teaching at the Moscow Electrotechnical Institute of Communications (MEIS), becoming the head of the department of radio communication systems, and L. Ya. Kantor, who for more than 30 years headed this area of ​​work at NIIR, was appointed head of the department.

The main tasks of the department were to solve problems related to the creation of satellite communication systems for civil purposes and broadcasting in our country. These tasks were as follows:

• development of satellite repeaters for television broadcasting and communications (“Ekran”, “Rainbow”, “Gals”); since 1969, satellite repeaters have been developed in a separate laboratory headed by M. V. Brodsky;
• creation of system projects for satellite communications and broadcasting;
• development of equipment for earth stations (ES) of satellite communications: modulators, threshold-lowering demodulators of FM signals, receiving and transmitting devices, etc.;
• carrying out comprehensive work to equip satellite communication and broadcasting stations;
• development of the theory of FM tracking demodulators with a reduced noise threshold, multiple access methods, modulation methods and noise-resistant coding;
• development of regulatory and technical documentation for channels, paths of television and communications equipment of satellite systems;
• development of control and monitoring systems for satellite communications and broadcasting networks.

NIIR specialists created many national satellite communication and broadcasting systems that are still in operation today. The transmitting and receiving ground and on-board equipment for these systems was also developed at NIIR. In addition to the equipment, the institute’s specialists proposed methods for designing both the satellite systems themselves and the individual devices included in them. The experience of designing satellite communication systems of NIIR specialists is reflected in numerous scientific publications and monographs.

The first satellite communication and broadcasting lines through the Molniya-1 satellite

The first experiments on satellite communications by reflecting radio waves from the American reflecting satellite “Echo” and the Moon, used as passive repeaters, were carried out by NIIR specialists in 1964. A radio telescope in the observatory in the village of Zimenki, Gorky Region, received telegraph messages and a simple drawing from the English observatory “ Jodrell Bank" N.I. Kalashnikov, V.L. Bykov and L.Ya. Kantor participated in the experiments.

This experiment proved the possibility of successfully using space objects to organize communications on Earth.

The satellite communications laboratory prepared several system projects, and then it took part in the development of the first domestic satellite communications system, Molniya-1, in the frequency range below 1 GHz. The lead organization for the creation of this system was the Moscow Scientific Research Institute of Radio Communications (MNIIRS). The chief designer of the Molniya-1 system is M. R. Kaplanov, deputy head of the MNIIRS.

In the 1960s, NIIR was developing a transceiver complex for the Horizon tropospheric radio relay system, also operating in the frequency range below 1 GHz. This complex was modified and the created equipment, called “Horizon-K”, was used to equip the first satellite communication line “Molniya-1”, connecting Moscow and Vladivostok. This line was intended to transmit a TV program or a group spectrum of 60 telephone channels. With the participation of NIIR specialists, two earth stations (ES) were equipped in these cities. MNIIRS developed an onboard repeater for the first artificial communications satellite, Molniya-1, which was successfully launched on April 23, 1965. It was launched into a highly elliptical orbit with an apogee of about 40 thousand km, a perigee of about 500 km, and an orbital period around the Earth of 12 h. Such an orbit was convenient for servicing the territory of the USSR, located in northern latitudes, since for eight hours on each orbit the satellite was visible from anywhere in the country. In addition, launching into such an orbit from our territory requires less energy than into a geostationary orbit. The orbit of the Molniya-1 satellite has retained its significance to this day and is used, despite the predominant development of geostationary satellites.

Through the space teleconference between Moscow and Vladivostok, television broadcasts and communication sessions were regularly conducted, various scientific and experimental studies were carried out, and methods and techniques for measuring the parameters and characteristics of the space communication segment were developed.

The work on creating the first domestic satellite communication line was led by S. V. Borodich. The following specialists took an active part in the development: prof. N. I. Kalashnikov, prof. V. L. Bykov, L. Ya. Kantor, O. P. Krapotin (solution of system issues), M. Z. Tseytlin, Yu. M. Fomin (development of low noise amplifiers - LNA), V. P. Minashin (transmitting devices ), V. M. Tsirlin (development of equipment for a TV sound channel), etc.

The world's first satellite system "Orbit" for the distribution of TV programs

After completing research into the technical capabilities of the Molniya-1 satellite, NIIR specialists N.V. Talyzin and L.Ya. Kantor proposed solving the problem of delivering TV programs from central television to the eastern regions of the country by creating the world's first satellite broadcasting system "Orbita" in 1 GHz band based on Horizon-K equipment. This proposal was approved, and by decision of the USSR government, NIIR was determined to be the lead organization for the creation of satellite communication and broadcasting systems equipment in the country. The chief designer of this development, which was of great importance for the country, was appointed N.V. Talyzin, deputy director of NIIR in those years, and his deputies were L.Ya. Kantor (for system issues and receiving device) and M.Z. Tseytlin ( by LNA). The successful implementation of this development was facilitated by the attention paid to it by NIIR Director A.D. Fortushenko and his deputy V.A. Shamshin.

Typical earth station "Orbit"

In 1965-1967 In record time, 20 Orbit earth stations and a new central transmitting station “Reserve” were simultaneously built and put into operation in the eastern regions of our country. The Orbita system became the world's first circular, television, distribution satellite system, which most effectively used the capabilities of satellite communications.

When creating the Orbit system, much attention was paid to the selection of sites for placing earth stations. They tried to choose the location for the construction of the Orbita station as close as possible to the television centers, and in such a way as to exclude the influence of interference from tropospheric radio relay lines operating in the same frequency range. An important decision in the development of the system was the transition to the use of relatively small parabolic antennas, with a mirror diameter of 12 m, whereas at that time, stations with huge and expensive antennas with a diameter of 25-32 m were built in the international Intelsat system.

Almost all the main departments of the institute took part in the work. The development of an antenna and an antenna-waveguide path, an antenna guidance and tracking system, receiving and transmitting devices, a low-noise parametric amplifier cooled by liquid nitrogen, an amplifier-frequency converter, tracking demodulators of frequency-modulated (FM) signals, an audio transmission system, a equipment redundancy, monitoring systems for equipment parameters and characteristics, power supply systems.

The creation of the world's first satellite TV program distribution system "Orbit" was a significant technical achievement in the field of telecommunications and made it possible to provide central TV broadcasting to many large cities and remote areas of our country. The reception of TV programs in real time allowed residents of these areas to feel like direct participants in the events taking place in the country. 20 million people living beyond the Urals had the opportunity to watch Central Television programs. Development leaders N.V. Talyzin, L.Ya. Kantor and M.Z. Tseitlin became State Prize laureates, many project participants were awarded orders and medals.

It should be noted that the range in which the new Orbita system operated 800-1000 MHz did not correspond to that allocated in accordance with the Radio Regulations for the fixed satellite service. The work on transferring the Orbita system to the C-band 6/4 GHz was carried out by NIIR specialists in the period 1970-1972. The station, operating in the new frequency range, was named Orbita-2. A full range of equipment was created for it to operate in the international frequency range - in the Earth-Space section - in the 6 GHz range, in the Space-Earth section - in the 4 GHz range. The same parabolic mirrors with a diameter of 12 m were used as an antenna on the GS, but a transmit-receive horn feed with a polarization selector and broadband waveguide paths, separate for reception and transmission, were developed for them. This made it possible to transfer these stations to duplex operation in the future. Under the leadership of V. M. Tsirlin, a system for pointing and auto-tracking antennas with a software device was developed. This system used an extreme automaton and a conical scanning method.

In connection with the introduction of multi-barrel satellite relays, a receiving device was developed for large stations of the Azimuth type, initially to receive signals from three channels (in accordance with the capabilities of the new satellite "Molniya-3"), and later - six channels (via a geostationary satellite " Rainbow"). At the input of the receiving device, a broadband, low-noise, liquid nitrogen-cooled parametric amplifier was used, common to all barrels; behind the amplifier, letter converters were switched on for the number of barrels required for a given station. The separation of the trunks was carried out using circulators and bandpass filters. The required bandwidth was formed in the IF path at the input of a special demodulator and was 34 MHz; the frequency deviation when transmitting image signals was chosen to be +15 MHz. The transmission of audio, as in the Orbita system, was carried out by the method of temporary multiplexing of the video signal with audio signals. Later, in the Orbita-2 system, channels on subcarriers were organized to transmit TV audio programs and audio broadcasting. A 100% redundancy of equipment and a system for monitoring the main parameters and characteristics of the stations were provided.

For the central station of the WS, the Gradient-K transmitter was developed, initially for three, and then for six trunks. To ensure the operation of transmitters on one antenna, various bridge waveguide power addition circuits were used. Orbita-2 stations began to be implemented in 1972, and by the end of 1986 about 100 of them had been built. Many of them are still operational receiving and transmitting stations.

In the creation of the Orbita system, along with NIIR, many other organizations took an active part: Special Design Bureau of the Moscow Power Engineering Institute (OKB MPEI) - development of the ZS antenna, Moscow Radio Engineering Plant (MRTZ), State Design Institute of Radio and Television (GSPI RTV) - design construction of buildings for APs, factories of industrial ministries (production of equipment).

Basically, the same specialists participated in the creation of the Orbita and Orbita-2 systems. The development of GS antennas and elements of the antenna-feeder path was led by A. M. Pokras and A. M. Model, work on creating an audio transmission system using the method of time multiplexing of a video signal and pointing antennas - V. M. Tsirlin, NIIR employees V. M. Krylov, V. C. Sanin, E. V. Miroshnikov, V. V. Loginov, A. B. Nalbandyan, K. I. Mustafidi, B. C. Akimov, V.N. Bogatyrev, V.G. Petukhov, E.I. Kumysh and others completed a significant amount of work on putting the receiving stations into operation. All work on the creation of a central transmitting station was headed by Deputy Director of NIIR V.P. Minashin and V.M. Shifrina.

Subsequently, for the operation of the Orbita-2 network, the first Soviet geostationary satellite “Rainbow” was created and launched into orbit, the multi-barrel onboard repeater of which was created at NIIR (work leader A.D. Fortushenko and its participants M.V. Brodsky, A. I. Ostrovsky, Yu. M. Fomin, etc.) At the same time, manufacturing technology and methods for ground-based processing of space products were created and mastered.

For the Orbit-2 system, new transmitting devices “Gradient” were developed (I. E. Mach, M. Z. Tseitlin, etc.), as well as parametric amplifiers (A. V. Sokolov, E. L. Ratbil, B S. Sanin, V. M. Krylov) and signal receiving devices (V. I. Dyachkov, V. M. Dorofeev, Yu. A. Afanasyev, V. A. Polukhin, etc.).

The world's first direct TV broadcasting system "Ekran"

Service area of ​​the Ekran system

The widespread development of the Orbita system as a means of presenting TV programs became economically unjustified at the end of the 1970s due to the high cost of the station, making it impractical to install it in a location with a population of less than 100-200 thousand people. The Ekran system, operating in the frequency range below 1 GHz and having a higher transmitter power of the on-board repeater, turned out to be more effective. The purpose of creating this system was to cover sparsely populated areas with TV broadcasting in the regions of Siberia, the Far North and part of the Far East. For its implementation, frequencies of 714 and 754 MHz were allocated, at which it was possible to create fairly simple and cheap receiving devices. The Ekran system became, in fact, the world's first direct satellite broadcasting system.

Professional reception
device "Screen - PP"

Initially, it was planned to create a system in which the TV signal would be radiated to Earth in the same format as adopted for the terrestrial TV broadcast network, using single-sideband modulation. However, at the same time, a transmitter with a power of several kilowatts was required on board the satellite, which made it impossible to satisfy the restrictions of the Radio Regulations on the power flux density created in the territory of states adjacent to our country. V. A. Shamshin proposed using FM to transmit signals from a satellite when creating the Ekran system. This proposal made it possible to reduce the transmitter power by almost an order of magnitude and comply with ITU Recommendations on the power flux density it creates at the Earth's surface.

An onboard repeater was developed and manufactured for the Ekran satellite, which at that time had a record power of up to 300 W. In the Ekran system, in addition to the signals of one TV program, the possibility of transmitting one radio broadcast program was provided.

The receiving installations of this system had to be cost-effective both for servicing small settlements and for individual reception of TV programs. Class I and II receiving devices were developed. The first were supposed to be used to supply TV programs to local television centers and powerful terrestrial repeaters. The latter were designed to supply a TV signal to low-power repeaters (usually included in a class II receiving device) or to a cable network. They consisted of a simple receiver and a device for converting FM signals to AM and transferring it to VHF channels. The first were equipped with a “wave channel” antenna, consisting of 16-32 blades, the second - an antenna of four blades.

Antenna for professional receiver "Ekran - PP"

The first satellite of the Ekran system was launched on October 26, 1976 into geostationary orbit at 99° east. d. Somewhat later, collective reception stations “Ekran-KR-1” and “Ekran-KR-10” were released in Krasnoyarsk with an output television transmitter power of 1 and 10 W. The earth station transmitting signals to the Ekran satellite had an antenna with a mirror diameter of 12 m, it was equipped with a Gradient transmitter with a power of 5 kW, operating in the 6 GHz range. The receiving installations of this system, developed by NIIR specialists, were the simplest and cheapest receiving stations of all those implemented in those years. By the end of 1987, the number of installed Ekran stations reached 4,500.

The Ekran system is still in operation. Since it operates in the frequency band allocated by the Radio Regulations for terrestrial TV broadcasting, and it must comply with power emission standards in the territory of other states, its service area is limited to the territory of Western and Eastern Siberia.

The creation of the “Orbit” and “Ekran” systems made it possible to provide central TV and radio broadcasts to the entire Asian part of the country. The supervisors of the work were A. D. Fortushenko, V. A. Shamshin, V. L. Bykov, L. Ya. Kantor, I. S. Tsirlin, Yu. M. Fomin, M. V. Brodsky, the main performers were V. D. Kuznetsov, A. S. Ostrovsky, A. V. Sokolov, V. I. Dyachkov, E. I. Kumysh and others. The contribution to the creation of the “Screen” system of V. A. Shamshin and I. S. Tsirlin was noted Lenin Prize.

Distribution systems for TV programs “Moscow” and “Moscow - Global”

Further progress in the development of satellite TV broadcasting systems in our country is associated with the creation of the Moscow system, in which the technically outdated Orbit satellite systems, which had large antennas and high power consumption, were replaced by small satellites. The development of small APs began in 1974 on the initiative of N.V. Talyzin and L.Ya. Kantor.

For the Moscow system, the Horizon satellite was equipped with a high-power barrel operating in the 4 GHz range on a narrowly directional antenna. The energy ratios in the system were chosen in such a way that they ensured the use of a small parabolic antenna with a mirror diameter of 2.5 m at the receiving station without automatic guidance. A fundamental feature of the Moscow system was strict compliance with the standards for spectral power flux density at the Earth's surface established by the Radio Regulations for fixed service systems. This made it possible to use this system for TV broadcasting throughout the USSR. The system provided high-quality reception of the central TV program and radio broadcast program. Subsequently, another channel was created in the system, intended for the transmission of newspaper strips. The Moscow system began operating in 1979 through an satellite located at a position of 14° west. etc., and then satellites were introduced into the system at positions 53°E. d., 80° east. d., 90° E. d., 140° E. e. Through these satellites, blocks of the central TV program were transmitted, as well as the Mayak radio broadcast program, time-shifted for the corresponding time zones of our country. Due to its simplicity and small size, the Moskva systems have become widespread. About 10 thousand ZS of various modifications were produced.

The development of the system was carried out in close collaboration with industrial enterprises. The stations were constantly improved, their reliability increased, and their cost decreased. The station included TV repeaters of various powers for different frequency television channels.

These stations have also become widespread in domestic institutions located abroad (in Europe, North Africa and a number of other territories), which has made it possible for our citizens abroad to receive domestic programs. When creating the Moscow system, a number of inventions and original solutions were used (a device that introduces nonlinear predistortion to increase the noise immunity of TV signal reception, uncooled parametric amplifiers and transistor low-noise amplifiers, controlled companders in the audio channel, etc.), which made it possible to improve both the construction of the systems (working with 2.5 m antennas and without guidance), and its hardware systems. This system served as a prototype for many satellite systems created later in the United States and Western Europe, in which medium-power satellites operating in the fixed satellite service band were used to deliver TV programs to small-sized and moderate-cost satellites.

The Moscow system is still in operation today. By the end of 2005, it organized transmission in one channel in digital form in a package of several TV programs. It is used as a distribution system for all-Russian, regional and commercial broadcast programs and ensures the reception of all-Russian programs with a time shift in the corresponding broadcast areas. For this purpose, the stations are retrofitted to receive several TV programs, which are then broadcast in analog form to terrestrial TV transmitters.

During 1986-1988 The development of a special “Moscow-Global” system with small satellites was carried out, designed to supply central TV programs to domestic representative offices abroad, as well as to transmit a small amount of discrete information. This system is also in operation. It provides for the organization of one TV channel, three channels for transmitting discrete information at a speed of 4800 bps and two channels at a speed of 2400 bps. Discrete information transmission channels were used in the interests of the Committee on Television and Radio Broadcasting, TASS and APN. The system operated through the high-power trunk of the Horizon satellite, the same as in the Moscow system, but connected to a global antenna. To cover almost the entire territory of the globe, it uses two satellites located in geostationary orbit at 11° west. long and 96° east d. Receiving stations have a mirror with a diameter of 4 m; the equipment can be located either in a special container or indoors. The development of low-noise input amplifiers for the station's receiving device was carried out in close collaboration with enterprises of the USSR Ministry of Electronic Industry.

The development leaders of the Moscow-Global system were Yu. B. Zubarev, L. Ya. Kantor and V. G. Yampolsky. Work on the design of the equipment was led by A. I. Bobrov, system issues were solved by B. A. Lokshin and E. A. Zlotnikova, the guidance system was developed by V. M. Tsirlin, V. P. Shulga and G. N. Kudeyarov, the development of transmission equipment sound programs were supervised by E. Ya. Chekhovsky, the creation of modems was led by V. M. Dorofeev, antenna systems were developed by G. G. Tsurikov.

Satellite TV system - broadcasting in the 12 GHz range

Since 1976, NIIR began work on creating a satellite television system that was fundamentally new in those years in the 12 GHz frequency range (STV-12) allocated according to the international plan for such satellite TV broadcasting, which would not have the limitations on radiated power inherent in systems “Ekran” and “Moscow” and could ensure coverage of the entire territory of our country with multi-program TV broadcasting, as well as the exchange of programs and solving the problem of republican broadcasting. In the creation of this system, NIIR was the lead organization.

The institute's specialists conducted research to determine the optimal parameters of this system and developed multi-barrel onboard repeaters and transmitting and receiving equipment. At the first stage of development of this system, the domestic Hals satellite was used, signals were transmitted in analog form, and imported receiving equipment was used. Later, a transition was made to digital equipment based on a foreign satellite, as well as transmitting and receiving equipment.

Creation of the Intersputnik system

In 1967, the development of international cooperation between socialist countries in the field of satellite communications began. Its goal was to create the international satellite system Intersputnik, designed to meet the needs of Bulgaria, Hungary, Germany, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, the USSR and Czechoslovakia for telephone communications, data transmission and the exchange of TV programs. In 1969, a preliminary design of this system and the legal basis for the Intersputnik organization were developed, and in 1971 an agreement on its creation was signed.

The Intersputnik system has become the world's second international satellite communications system (after the Intelsat system). NIIR specialists developed AP projects, which, with the assistance of the USSR, were built in many countries of the socialist community. The first AP abroad was created in Cuba, and the second in Czechoslovakia. In total, NIIR supplied more than ten satellites abroad for receiving TV, radio and special purpose programs.

Initially, Intersputnik used an artificial satellite of the Molniya-3 type in a highly elliptical orbit, and since 1978, two multi-barrel geostationary satellites of the Horizon type with orbiting points of 14° west. D. and 53° (and then 80°) E. d. The Gradient-K transmitter and the Orbita-2 receiving complex were initially installed on the station. Later, 3 kW Helikon transmitters and Shirota receivers developed at NIIR began to be used, and Elektronika 4/60 amplifiers were used as LNAs. Channel-forming equipment “Gradient-N” was installed, developed in Kiev by specialists under the leadership of L. G. Gasanov (OKN type, with FM of each carrier with an analog signal), and later they began to use more advanced equipment MDVU-40 and “Interchat” (developed jointly with the Hungarian Institute TKI). The main developers of this equipment at NIIR were the leading scientists of the institute in the field of digital communication systems V. M. Tsirlin, V. M. Dorofeev and G. Kh. Pankov. A regulation was drawn up that defined the technical requirements for the AP, the relationship between technical services, the directorate and communications administration services.

All system and technical solutions for creating the Intersputnik system, as well as the satellite equipment, were created by NIIR specialists together with the NIIR experimental plant Promsvyazradio and co-executing organizations. The Intersputnik system is still in operation today, renting the trunks of the Russian space constellation, as well as using its geostationary satellite LMI-1, located at a position of 75° east. d. The work was carried out in cooperation with the Iskra Production Association (Krasnoyarsk), Moscow and Podolsk radio engineering plants. The head of the work was S.V. Borodich.

Creation of a satellite link for government communications

In 1972, an intergovernmental agreement was concluded between the USSR and the USA on the creation of a direct line of government communication (DGL) between heads of state in case of emergency. The implementation of this important government agreement was entrusted to NIIR specialists. The chief designer of the development of the LPS was V.L. Bykov, and the responsible executors were I.A. Yastrebtsov, A.N. Vorobyov.

Earth station of the Intersputnik system in Cuba

Two satellite stations were created on the territory of the USSR: one (in Dubna near Moscow) with an antenna with a diameter of 12 m for organizing an LPS channel through the Soviet Molniya-3 satellites, the second (in Zolochev near Lvov) with an antenna 25 m in diameter for operation through satellites “ Intelsat-IVa" of the international company Intelsat. The LPS was put into operation in 1975. It has been operating through the Dubna terminal station to the present day. This was the first experience in creating a satellite link in the international Intelsat system by domestic specialists.

In 1960-1980 NIIR specialists solved very important for our state and technically complex problems of creating national satellite communication and broadcasting systems. Systems for distributing TV programs over a vast territory of our country were created, including direct satellite television broadcasting. Many systems created at NIIR were the first in the world: “Orbita”, “Ekran”, “Moscow”, etc. The equipment for the ground part of these systems, as well as on-board equipment, was also developed by NIIR and was produced by domestic industry.

Satellite communication and broadcasting systems made it possible to meet the needs of tens of millions of citizens of our country, especially those who lived in sparsely populated areas of Western Siberia and the Far East. With the creation of satellite systems in these regions, citizens for the first time had the opportunity to receive central television programs in real time. With the help of satellite systems, the problems of prompt transmission of central newspaper pages to these regions, their timely release and delivery to the population were solved. The introduction of satellite systems was extremely important for the economic and social development of both the hard-to-reach regions of Siberia and the Far East, and the entire country.

Satellite systems played a major role in the development of a public communications network connecting the European and eastern parts of our state. The first trunk and zonal satellite communication lines were built on the basis of equipment developed by NIIR specialists. The population of Sakhalin, Kamchatka, Khabarovsk Territory and many other remote territories received access to the public telephone network. Satellite communications and broadcasting in our country have been developing for many years in accordance with the concept developed by NIIR scientists and approved by the government.

NIIR scientists performed original scientific research aimed at creating methods for calculating various types of devices used in satellite communication systems. They also created methodologies for designing satellite communication systems and wrote a number of fundamental monographs and scientific articles on satellite communication problems.

For the creation of domestic satellite communication and television and radio broadcasting systems, many of the institute’s specialists received awards: the leaders of the development of the world’s first satellite system for distributing TV programs “Orbit” N.V. Talyzin, L.Ya. Kantor and M.Z. Tseytlin became laureates of the State Prize; the same prize for the creation of measuring systems for satellite communication systems on ships of the Academy of Sciences was awarded to S.V. Borodich, I.E. Mach, A.I. Tsukublin, for the development of the satellite repeater “Ekran” the Lenin Prize was awarded to I.S. Tsirlin and V. A. Shamshin, for the creation of new emitting systems for broadcasting - V. L. Bykov, M. I. Krivosheev, S. S. Shlyuger, for the creation of new radio devices for RRL, TRRL and satellite systems - A. V Sokolov and V. M. Tsirlin.

Literature

1. Kantor L. Ya. Results and trends in the development of satellite communications and broadcasting in Russia// Proceedings of NIIR. –1999.
2. Kantor L. Ya. From the history of NIIR and mine// Proceedings of NIIR, 2005.
3. Sokolov A.V. The first radio relay, the first tropospheric and the first satellite communication line. How it was? How did it start?// Proceedings of NIIR, 1999.
4. 110 years of radio (collection of articles)// Ed. Yu. V. Gulyaev and M. A. Bykhovsky. –M.: Radio engineering, 2005.