Updates from unremarked dates material used in the Institute's vacation schools at Surrey University, which over the past 15 years have become the de-facto industry standard in satellite communications. The approach concentrates on the design and planning of systems, includes little theory, and just quotes equations rather than deriving them. New material has been added on the history and background of the field; the business aspects of satellite communications; and on new applications in mobile and personal communication systems, multimedia systems, military business and small satellites, navigation, and positioning. Graduate, undergraduate, and practicing engineers should benefit from the treatment. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR