inmarsat-satellite

THIS PHOTO GIVES THE IMPRESSION OF PRECISE FOCUSED BEAMS BETWEEN POINTS BUT IT IS MISLEADING. THAT IS NOT HOW IT WORKS. IT IS A BROADCAST, WIDE ANGLE BEAM FROM BOTH THE SATELLITE AND THE PLANE. GROUND STATIONS, OF COURSE, CAN BE DIRECT, LINE OF SIGHT, NARROW BEAMS (and they have to be to focus the energy and ensure optimum contact at all times) BUT A MOVING PLANE DOES NOT HAVE ITS (OR A) STATIONARY SATELLITE DISH ABOARD CONTINUOUSLY POINTING AT INMARSAT.