Long range radio location system employing autonomous tracking for sounding rocket

Abstract

This work summarizes the development of a radio location system based on tracking antennas. The solution was designed to ensure a reliable wireless connection between a sounding rocket and a ground station. The system consists of both rocket and ground terminals, each including digital transceivers, which are responsible for a two-way communication within 868 MHz ISM frequency band. Another integral part of the solution is an autonomous tracking system placed on a movable ground platform. The tracking system is used to direct the maximum gain of a communication antenna towards the rocket. The terminal placed on board the rocket is used as a beacon. Real time GNSS location data is transferred to the ground station during the flight. The system was manufactured, optimized and verified during the flight campaign of the Magnitudo sounding rocket.