Glossary
Definitions
6 definitions
ADCS (Attitude Determination and Control System)
The satellite subsystem responsible for determining the spacecraft's orientation in space (using star trackers, gyroscopes, and sun sensors) and maintaining it within required pointing accuracy (using reaction wheels, magnetorquers, and thrusters) — critical for antenna pointing, solar array orientation, and instrument alignment.
AIS (Automatic Identification System)
A VHF radio transponder system mandatory on ships over 300 gross tonnes that continuously broadcasts vessel identity, position, course, and speed, used for maritime traffic management and vessel tracking — extended globally via satellite (S-AIS) since the mid-2000s.
Active Debris Removal (ADR)
The emerging space technology field focused on capturing and deorbiting defunct satellites and rocket bodies using robotic spacecraft equipped with nets, harpoons, or robotic arms — considered essential for preventing Kessler Syndrome in densely populated orbital shells.
Amazon Kuiper
Amazon's planned LEO broadband mega-constellation of 3,236 satellites at 590–630 km altitude, authorised by the FCC in 2020, with initial commercial launches underway in 2024–2025, targeting residential broadband, enterprise connectivity, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) infrastructure.
Anti-Jamming (SATCOM)
Technical measures in satellite terminals and system design that maintain communication links in the presence of intentional radio frequency interference — including spread-spectrum waveforms, directional antenna null steering, frequency hopping, and power control — critical for military and government satellite communications.
Asset Tracking via Satellite
The real-time or near-real-time monitoring of mobile assets — vehicles, containers, livestock, equipment — using GPS/GNSS positioning combined with satellite IoT data links to transmit location, status, and sensor data from remote areas beyond cellular coverage.