Footprint

The footprint of a satellite antenna is the area of the Earth’s surface over which the satellite’s transmitted signal can be received with sufficient strength and quality. The size and shape of the footprint depend on the satellite’s orbital location, the antenna beamwidth, and the antenna radiation pattern.

A satellite footprint may range from near-global coverage in the case of Earth-coverage beams to much smaller regions for zonal or spot beams, enabling concentration of power and frequency reuse.