Build a practical foundation in satellite communications, from signals and link budgets to antennas, ground stations, and modern space architectures. Compare modulation and coding trade-offs, examine real systems, and explore optical links and emerging satellite networks.
Online, synchronous
- Link budgets and antenna trade-offs
- Ground systems and modern architectures
- Guided analysis of real satellite systems
This new essential course, offered in partnership with the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), will cover the fundamentals of satellite communications, including basic link analysis, antennas, and real-world system examples in this very dynamic field!
This practical course gives working professionals a clear understanding of how modern satellite communications work end-to-end, with real systems examples applied across seven weeks with one two-hour live session per week. You’ll build literacy in the language of satcomm (signals and decibels), understand a high-level link budget via a guided spreadsheet, be able to compare and contrast antenna options (including electronically steered antennas), grasp qualitative modulation/coding trade-offs, and survey today’s architectures and trends (GEO/MEO/LEO/VLEO and beyond, constellations, crosslinks, optical links, non-terrestrial networks, software-defined payloads), with recordings, downloadable slides, and between-session office hours and email support—leading to a Johns Hopkins University badge of completion and completion recognition from AIAA.
Course fees
All prices in USD, per learner
Individual enrollment
AIAA members: email EngineeringExecEd@jhu.edu for help obtaining your member discount code before registering.
Group enrollment
For enrollment questions or Bright Horizons voucher payments, email EPE at EngineeringExecEd@jhu.edu. Include your voucher if using it for payment.
Live session schedule
March 24, 2027–May 5, 2027 · Wednesdays, 6–8 p.m. Eastern Time
7 live sessions; 14 classroom hours; approximately 28 total hours. All sessions will be recorded and available for replay; course notes will be available for download.
Skills and learning outcomes
- Explain the core segments of a satellite communications link (space & ground) and how they interact.
- Walk through a satellite communications link budget and understand its key parameters (EIRP, G/T, bandwidth, coding) and results.
- Compare and evaluate antenna options (including ESAs) and understand gain/pointing trade-offs.
- Describe modulation/coding trade-offs qualitatively (spectral efficiency, throughput, performance).
- Identify common link impairments (rain fade, noise, interference, polarization) and their mitigations, and speak credibly on spectrum/regulatory basics
- Recognize current trends and the importance of new developments and systems.
What this course covers
Week 1
Satellite Communications at a Glance
- Use cases, services, GEO/MEO/LEO/VLEO, coverage & latency, and vocabulary.
Week 2
Signal-to-Noise Ratio & Link Budget Essentials
- Signal-to-noise ratio measures, dB’s, the link budget, figures of merit, link analysis guided template.
Week 3
Antennas in Practice
- Antenna basics, gain and beamwidth, pointing, trends and electronically steered arrays.
Week 4
Modulation & Coding (Qualitative)
- Modulation schemes (BPSK/QPSK and higher order), bit-error rate, Forward-Error Correction coding (FEC) and coding gain.
Week 5
Spectrum, Interference, & Propagation
- Frequency allocations and licensing, polarization, rain and atmospheric propagation, link performance and mitigations.
Week 6
Ground Segment & Access Methods
- Ground stations, the RF chain (HPA/LNA), gateways; Multiple Access - FDMA/TDMA/SCPC/OFDM — when & why.
Week 7
Current and Future Systems & Trends, Optical Communications
- The New Space environment, LEO mega-constellations, introduction to satellite crosslinks & optical links, 5G non-terrestrial networks, SD payloads, link example walkthrough; learner reflections.
Who is this course for?
Working professionals (engineering, program management, operations, policy, BD) seeking a practical foundation in satellite communications. No RF, comms, or advanced mathematics background required.
Meet your instructor
Chris DeBoy, MS
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Chris DeBoy has over 30 years of experience in satellite communications, from systems engineering (he is the lead RF communications engineer for the New Horizons Mission to Pluto) to flight hardware design for both low-Earth orbit and deep-space missions. He leads the Spaceflight Engineering Branch in the Space Exploration Sector at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, and is a member of APL’s Principal Professional Staff. He holds a BSEE from Virginia Tech, a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Johns Hopkins, and teaches the satellite communications course for the Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering.
Completion recognition
Complete the course to earn a Johns Hopkins University badge of completion and receive completion recognition from AIAA.
Course delivery and materials
The course lectures will be delivered via Zoom. Access to the Johns Hopkins learning platform will be provided to registrants near to the course start date.
All recorded classes will be available on-demand within 1-2 business days of the lecture. Once available, you can stream the replay video anytime, 24/7.
All slides will be available for download after each lecture. No part of these materials may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted, unless for course participants. All rights reserved.
Between lectures during the course, the instructor will be available via email for technical questions and comments.
Live session recording notice
Live virtual sessions are recorded and may be repurposed as course materials at the discretion of Johns Hopkins University (JHU) and viewed by future learners. Recordings may include your name, image, voice, questions, comments, and other participation. Although JHU will make reasonable efforts to remove or minimize personally identifiable information during editing, some identifying information and participation may remain in the recordings.
Have questions about this course?
Request additional information about course content, delivery, and enrollment.