X-band

X-band refers to the portion of the radio-frequency spectrum from approximately 8–12 GHz and is commonly classified within the SHF range. In satellite communications, X-band is used extensively for government and military systems, in a role broadly analogous to that of C-band for commercial satellite services.

X-band offers a balance between available bandwidth, antenna size, and propagation performance, with lower susceptibility to rain attenuation than Ku-band and Ka-band while allowing smaller antennas than C-band. X-band frequencies are shared with terrestrial services, including radar and fixed microwave links, and therefore require careful frequency coordination to avoid harmful interference.