Broadcasting satellite service synthesis using gradient and cyclic coordinate search procedures

Two search techniques are considered for solving satellite synthesis problems. Neither is likely to find a globally optimal solution. In order to determine which method performs better and what factors affect their performance, an experiment is designed and the same problem is solved under a variety of starting solution configuration-algorithm combinations. Since there is no randomization in the experiment, results of practical, rather than statistical, significance are presented. Implementation of a cyclic coordinate search procedure clearly finds better synthesis solutions than implementation of a gradient search procedure does with the objective of maximizing the minimum C/I ratio computed at test points on the perimeters of the intended service areas. The length of the available orbital arc and the configuration of the starting solution are shown to affect the quality of the solutions found.