Patcay.com – China has just introduced their latest satellite named Tiangtong. The uniqueness of this satellite lies in its ability to facilitate phone calls without relying on conventional signals.
Satellite internet technology itself faces several challenges, one of which is signal interference. How does Tiangtong overcome these obstacles?
The name “Tiangtong” itself holds a profound meaning, “to connect to heaven,” referring to the biblical story of the Tower of Babel.
Previously, direct communication between satellites in outer space and phones on Earth’s surface on a large scale was deemed impossible. Similar to the biblical story, the failure of the Tower of Babel was caused by confusion due to language differences among its workers. Similar disruptions can occur in satellite communication.
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To reach many smartphones on Earth, satellites need to generate very strong signals. However, when many high-powered signals are received simultaneously by satellite transmitter antennas, the likelihood of interference disrupting each other and even producing additional signals arises.
Such interference can degrade satellite communication quality and, in the worst cases, lead to total system failure.
Since the 1970s, almost all commercial communication satellite networks operated by the United States (US), Europe, and international organizations have experienced major failures due to such interference in the receiving frequency bands.
This problem, known as passive intermodulation (PIM) among telecommunications engineers, has been a barrier to further development of satellite communication technology. Despite many efforts to address this issue, there is currently no technology that can effectively suppress PIM universally.