4A

Question 1

The ___ provides a reliable, high-capacity, quality communications capability in support of peacetime, contingency, and wartime operations.

Answer 1

Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS)

Question 2

Specifically, the DSCS provides what?

Answer 2

high availability communications services

Question 3

DoD manages the satellites with direction from…?

Answer 3

Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA).

Question 4

Satellites in a DSCS network are considered ___ by users since the cost
of bandwidth and hardware are paid at the Service level.

Answer 4

free

Question 5

All DSCS satellites have a frequency plan. What is a frequency plan?

Answer 5

A frequency plan is a way to map how frequencies translate up or down to create a full duplex link.

Question 6

DSCS satellites have ___ channels, or transponders, that are used to transmit and/or receive.

Answer 6

six

Question 7

Channels 1 – 5 perform a ___ MHz translation frequency while channel 6 performs a ___ MHz translation frequency.

Answer 7

725 MHz
200 MHz

Question 8

Guard bands are used to prevent interference, so channels are spaced ___ MHz apart.

Answer 8

25 MHz

Question 9

Guard bands are used to prevent what?

Answer 9

Interference

Question 10

DSCS satellites operate mainly in the __-band

Answer 10

X

Question 11

DSCS satellites have a beacon frequency of ___ MHz to locate the satellite in the sky.

Answer 11

7,600 MHz

Question 12

Each satellite will also produce a ___ to ensure use of the correct satellite. i.e.: 7,604.705 MHz.

Answer 12

pseudo-beacon

Question 13

The ___ system is a constellation of highly capable military communications satellites that leverage cost-effective methods and technological advances in the communications satellite industry.

Answer 13

WGS (Wideband Global Satellite)

Question 14

The WGS system is composed of three principal segments:

Answer 14

space segment (satellites), control segment (operators) and terminal segment (users).

Question 15

What are the DoD’s highest-capacity communications satellites?

Answer 15

WGS Space Vehicles (SV)

Question 16

Each WGS satellite provides service in both the __ and __ frequency bands, with the unprecedented ability to cross-band between the two frequencies onboard the satellite.

Answer 16

X and Ka bands

Question 17

WGS augments the ___ Global Broadcast Service (GBS) service through new ___ Ka-band service.

Answer 17

one-way
two-way

Question 18

Just ___ WGS satellite provides more SATCOM capacity than the entire legacy DSCS
constellation.

Answer 18

one

Question 19

___ is a constellation of military communications satellites in geosynchronous orbit that are operated by the United States Air Force and provide secure and jam-resistant worldwide communications to meet the requirements of the Armed Forces of the United States.

Answer 19

MILSTAR

Question 20

___ MILSTAR spacecraft were launched between 1994 and 2003, of which five (5) are operational; the third launch failed, both damaging the satellite and leaving it in an unusable orbit.

Answer 20

six

Question 21

MILSTAR satellites provide ___, ___, ___ to meet the requirements of the United States military.

Answer 21

secure
jam resistant
worldwide communications

Question 22

MILSTAR satellites were built by Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space
Corporation, at a cost of $___ million each.

Answer 22

$800

Question 23

Each MILSTAR satellite has a design life of ___ years.

Answer 23

10

Question 24

MILSTAR satellites are composed of processing satellites with on-board ___ and ___, a configuration that is inherently more jam-resistant than conventional transponder satellites.

Answer 24

demodulation
switching

Question 25

___ between the MILSTAR satellites allow worldwide communications without the use of multi-hop ground stations, providing increased anti jam capability.

Answer 25

crosslinks

Question 26

___ is the protection from EMP effects of a nuclear explosion and it’s a big
component of the military which enables protected SATCOM systems overcome jamming attacks through the use of a combination of Transmission Security (TRANSEC), modulation, and interleaving techniques that hop, permute, and spread the communications data over the usable bandwidth.

Answer 26

Anti-scintillation

Question 27

MILSTAR systems are comprised of a constellation of geosynchronous satellites that provide survivable, ___, and high assurance, ___ communications capability.

Answer 27

anti-scintillation (AS)
anti-jam (AJ)

Question 28

The ___ is a joint service satellite communications system that provides survivable, global, secure, protected, and jam-resistant communications for high-priority military ground, sea, and air assets.

Answer 28

Advanced Extremely High Frequency System (AEHF)

Question 29

The ___ System is the follow-on to the MILSTAR system, augmenting the capabilities of
MILSTAR, and expanding the MILSATCOM architecture.

Answer 29

AEHF

Question 30

The throughput of the AEHF is ___ times higher than that of the MILSTAR satellites. It has substantially increased coverage area, providing connectivity across naval, air, and land mission warfare.

Answer 30

ten

Question 31

AEHF is a series of ___ military communication satellites, which supplement the legacy
MILSTAR constellation system.

Answer 31

six

Question 32

___ satellites provide Extremely High Frequency (EHF) range uplink /
crosslink capabilities and Super High Frequency (SHF) range communications.

Answer 32

AEHF

Question 33

The AEHF system consists of satellites in space, user terminals and ground-mission control, and associated communication network systems. Together, they enable communications and transfer of data at specified rates ranging from ___ bps to about ___ Mbps.

Answer 33

75 bps to about 8 Mbps

Question 34

The six AEHF satellites are linked to form a constellation and provide 24-hour-a-day continuous coverage between latitudes ___ south and ___ north.

Answer 34

65 degree

Question 35

Developed for the U.S. Navy by Lockheed Martin, the ___ is revolutionizing secure Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) SATCOM for mobile forces.

Answer 35

Mobile User Objective System (MUOS)

Question 36

____ radio terminal users – supporting mobile, tactical ground, sea, or air operations – can seamlessly connect around the globe and into the Global Information Grid (GIG), as well as into the Defense Switching Network (DSN).

Answer 36

MUOS

Question 37

MUOS’ new capabilities include ___ crystal-clear voice, video, and mission data on a high-speed Internet Protocol-based system.

Answer 37

simultaneous

Question 38

The MUOS network is sustained by an initial configuration of ___ orbiting satellites and ___ relay ground stations.

Answer 38

4

Question 39

An on-orbit spare, ___ , will ensure the network is always available to support U.S. and allied mobile forces, as well as actively supporting the legacy UHF system.

Answer 39

MUOS-5

Question 40

Commercial Satellite communications operate in the __-band and __-band.

Answer 40

C
Ku

Question 41

One way to distinguish between military and commercial satellites is by their name. Commercial satellites have the term “___” in their name.

Answer 41

SAT

Question 42

Keep in mind that when using a commercial satellite your unit pays
for the ___ ___.

Answer 42

access time

Question 43

The ___ is a satellite-based radio navigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Air Force.

Answer 43

Global Position System (GPS)

Question 44

The Global Position System (GPS) was originally called…?

Answer 44

Navstar GPS

Question 45

It is a global navigation satellite system that provides geolocation and time information to a ___ receiver anywhere on or near the Earth where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more ___ satellites.

Answer 45

GPS

Question 46

What blocks GPS signals?

Answer 46

Obstacles such as mountains and buildings

Question 47

The United States government created the system, maintains it, and makes it freely accessible to anyone with a…?

Answer 47

GPS receiver

Question 48

Provides support for the operation, control, and maintenance of a variety of United States Department of Defense and some non-DoD satellites. This involves continual execution of Telemetry, Tracking, and Commanding (TT&C) operations.

Answer 48

Air Force Satellite Control Network (AFSCN)

Question 49

In addition, the ___ provides prelaunch checkout and simulation, launch support, and early orbit support while satellites are in initial or transfer orbits and require maneuvering to their final orbit.

Answer 49

AFSCN

Question 50

The ___ provides tracking data to help maintain the catalog of space objects and distributes various data such as satellite ephemeris, almanacs, and other information.

Answer 50

AFSCN