ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses performance evaluation aspects of satellite systems employing multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) signal-processing techniques particularly well aligned with the proposed MIMO land mobile satellite (LMS) channel. It deals with general comments and directions on the applicability of MIMO technology over next-generation satellite systems. The chapter explores the potential of applying MIMO in next-generation Satellite communications systems, covering from propagation channel modeling to system performance evaluation and standardization aspects. Fundamental in building any MIMO system are the MIMO channel degrees of freedom and diversity it offers. Beyond outage capacity results, the MIMO LMS channel model described in this chapter can be used to derive system performance evaluation results via computer simulations. The study of potential benefits from dual-polarization MIMO for interactive satellite systems is a topic still not well covered by the literature. In the MIMO LMS case of interest though, the distribution of the multipath power along the elevation angle is also relevant.
