IPSTAR-1 Satellite is a Geostationary orbit satellite utilizing Ku-band spectrum for user applications. Ku-band spectrum provides the optimal solution for services in the Asia-Pacific region with a high Link-Availability (Margin) for user applications using a small user antenna size.

Proprietary waveforms are used for air interface between a user terminal and IPSTAR gateway. The downlink (Forward Link) to the Terminal will be TDM overlaying OFDM with patent pending enhancement to maximize the efficiency of spectrum utilization. The uplink channels (Return Link) from the user terminal will be based on Multimode Multiple Access MF-TDMA. The access methods can be selected by gateway Network Management System (NMS) to match application bit rate and traffic density requirement, including TDMA-DAMA for voice, and Slotted Aloha for web browsing and other bursty traffic. Every mode will employ advanced error correction coding, which will allow the uplink to use small antennas and power amplifiers even for high-speed uplink data rates. Future generation may employ spread spectrum CDMA technology to further enhance system capability. Optionally, there will be one-way version using telephone line as the Return Link, providing a cheaper alternative to a full two-way version.

The Satellite is a bent-pipe satellite achieving unprecedented capacity and functionality with no on-board regenerative payload. This eliminates the need for low reliability, heavy and power consuming on-board processor. Therefore, the Satellite will be as reliable as any conventional communications satellites and will certainly be more reliable than any broadband satellite that employs on-board processor. All intelligence, switching and routing capability will be put on the ground at gateway and network control centers. This will allow future upgrade of all electronics and software, which have been evolving with more capability and cost effectiveness at a very rapid pace.

The Satellite will have the capability to allocate its precious on-board resources (Dynamic Power Management and Dynamic Bandwidth Management) appropriately according to the actual need to maintain communication links at the highest level possible Quality of Service (QoS). This allocation is monitored and controlled on a dynamic basis through Satellite Payload Operation Center (SPOC) with the link quality information processed on-line by Gateway and Network Management Centers (GNCs).