Tactical and strategic models for satellite customer assignment

In this paper we develop tactical and strategic models for assignments of customers to satellite channels. We solve this problem using mixed integer-linear programming, and study the managerial impacts of our models. As a managerial tool, the optimal placement of customer channels to minimize transponder re-balancing was found to have a real and observable profit potential in excess of $54 million for the GE Spacenet series geosynchronous orbit satellites. Further managerial findings and computational results are presented.