Tactical and strategic models for satellite customer assignment

In this paper we develop tactical and strategic models for assignments of c ustomers to satellite channels. We solve this problem using mixed integer-l inear programming, and study the managerial impacts of our models. As a man agerial tool, the optimal placement of customer channels to minimize transp onder re-balancing was found to have a real and observable profit potential in excess of $54 million for the GE Spacenet series geosynchronous orbit s atellites. Further managerial findings and computational results are presen ted.