Worldwide infrared and millimeter wave satellite performance

Infrared satellite communication system performance is estimated from Barbaliscia's worldwide millimeter wave attenuation maps. The attenuation maps are used to derive new results for total liquid water content in clouds, which in turn is used to estimate 10 micron and 1 micron attenuation. The liquid water content of severe cloud cover is found to be fatal for most laser satcom, but cloud cover at the 80 percentile level would allow attractive 10 micron satellite communication throughout most of the Rocky Mountain States and the state of Maine. Site diversity, with sites separated by 100 km, would allow the infrared system to approach normal satcom reliability standards.