Propagation research in Europe using the OLYMPUS satellite

The launch of the European Space Agency's (ESA) large telecommunications satellite OLYMPUS in the summer of 1989 offered a unique opportunity to study the effects of the atmosphere on satellite communication links at Ku-band (14/12 GHz) and Ka-band (30/20 GHz). The community of OLYMPUS Propagation Experimenters (OPEX) operates experiments at more than 50 locations covering all of Western Europe with its different climatic regions. The authors introduce the European propagation research scenario, summarize the major features of the current OLYMPUS campaign, discuss the significance of the first results obtained, and give an outlook for new activities.>