After a communications satellite is on its target orbit, several routines need to be performed in order to ensure proper performance from the transponders in the payload. The on-orbit measurements are a vital part of the maintenance of a live satellite as well. Operating a satellite channel for an on-orbit measurement rather than the intended application comes with significant opportunity cost and hence test duration needs to be minimized as much as possible.

Rohde & Schwarz test and measurement equipment recommended in this paper is market leading not only in terms of measurement accuracy but also offers unparalleled speed of measurement. This application note focuses on satellite post-launch or on-orbit measurement and monitoring strategies used for satellite functionality checks when running maintenance routines. A complementary paper treats pre-launch payload measurements.