A geostationary satellite is used to transmit environmental data from an automated research station in Antarctica to a laboratory in Europe.
The distance of the geostationary satellite from both the Antarctic station and the European laboratory is 37 500 km37\,500\text{ km}37500 km.
A technician in Europe sends a data request query to the research station, and the station immediately transmits the data back via the satellite. The total time delay between sending the query and receiving the final data pack is measured to be 780 ms780\text{ ms}780 ms.
This delay consists of:
Take the speed of electromagnetic waves in free space to be c=3.00×108 m s−1c = 3.00 \times 10^8\text{ m s}^{-1}c=3.00×108 m s−1.
Show that the total distance travelled by the radio signal during this loop is 1.50×108 m1.50 \times 10^8\text{ m}1.50×108 m.
Calculate, in ms\text{ms}ms, the total processing time.
State two advantages of using a global undersea fibre-optic link instead of a satellite link for high-speed data transmission.
