{"title":"X-Band Sampling Technology Demonstration","authors":"Halté Stéphane, Chambon Cédric, Rawson Stephen, Dasgupta Abhijeet, Neveux Guillaume, Barataud Denis","doi":"10.1109/TTC.2019.8895295","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TTC.2019.8895295","url":null,"abstract":"The technical objective of this project is to simplify the Ground Station architecture currently used by European Space Agency in Deep Space Antenna by implementing the concept of Software Defined Radio. This paper summarizes the experimental results obtained at the preliminary and detailed design phases. The reception of RF signals has been sampled using a commercially available Track and Hold amplifier and digitized using an Analogue-to-Digital Converter. The transmission of RF signal has been synthetized using high-frequency Digital to Analogue Converters.","PeriodicalId":330874,"journal":{"name":"2019 8th International Workshop on Tracking, Telemetry and Command Systems for Space Applications (TTC)","volume":"188 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114737073","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Preliminary Analysis Of The Performance Metrics For The 26 Ghz Band Receiving Channel Of The Snowbear Project","authors":"F. Concaro, Matteo Marchetti, M. Pasian","doi":"10.1109/TTC.2019.8895380","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TTC.2019.8895380","url":null,"abstract":"Due to congestion in the Earth Exploration Service (EES) X-Band (8.0–8.4 GHz) and MetSat X-Band (7.75–7.9 GHz) used today by most Earth Observation satellites for payload data downlinks and the increase in required downlink data rates, ESA has embarked on the technology preparation for the exploitation of the 26 GHz band by future Earth Observation missions. The Agency will use this band operationally for the first time in a polar orbit mission for the EUMETSAT Metop-SG spacecrafts (first Launch in 2021), currently under development by ESA. In this paper the SNOWBEAR (Svalbard grouNd StatiOn for Wide Band Earth observation dAta Reception) project status and goals, together with the receiving ground station system are described. Data collection and analysis in terms of ”absolute” (i.e., signal strength, cross-polar level, tracking errors, signal to noise, number of recorded frames) and ”relative” (measured performances compared against theoretical ones) statistics are also introduced. Preliminary analysis of two orbit cycles (around 210 passes each) is then reported, to give a first insight of the link performance and to introduce problems and possible causes.","PeriodicalId":330874,"journal":{"name":"2019 8th International Workshop on Tracking, Telemetry and Command Systems for Space Applications (TTC)","volume":"41 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130603884","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Julián Gómez, José González, J. J. Marchal, Gonzalo Ochoa, J. Sánchez, Octavío Garcia, Diego Rodríguez, C. Barquinero, Pedro Luis Caicedo López, Carlos García
{"title":"Dual K-band/S-Band Tracking Ground Station Antenna for Future Earth Observation Applications","authors":"Julián Gómez, José González, J. J. Marchal, Gonzalo Ochoa, J. Sánchez, Octavío Garcia, Diego Rodríguez, C. Barquinero, Pedro Luis Caicedo López, Carlos García","doi":"10.1109/TTC.2019.8895276","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TTC.2019.8895276","url":null,"abstract":"This paper presents the novel K/S band monopulse tracking ground station antenna developed by Indra for the next generation of Earth Observation (EO) applications in the 25.5 to 27 GHz band. A brief review of the mechanical system, the innovative X/Y/Z positioner as well as the monopulse feed, which covers the design and development of a dual band coaxial horn, a TE21 resonant tracking coupler, OMTs and polarizers, are included. Characterization of the complete antenna in both bands is also summarized in the paper.","PeriodicalId":330874,"journal":{"name":"2019 8th International Workshop on Tracking, Telemetry and Command Systems for Space Applications (TTC)","volume":"22 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124242128","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A procedure to recover data of a cubesat mission at very low S/N ratio","authors":"A. Busso, Mário Sousa, M. Mascarello, F. Stesina","doi":"10.1109/TTC.2019.8895451","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TTC.2019.8895451","url":null,"abstract":"This paper deals with the activities led in the framework of E-ST@R-II cubesat mission to decode the downlink telemetry signal, which was affected since launch by a power drop in the order of 20dB with respect to the computed link budget. Despite optimization of the ground station, with installation of higher gain antennas and more performant low noise amplifiers, it was not always possible to directly decode the received signal using existing modems, either hardware or software based. Therefore, a dedicated signal demodulation algorithm was developed and used to post-process all recorded data since launch. The algorithm has been verified and optimized by checking its performance against test data and then it was used to extract useful information from recorded satellite telemetry.","PeriodicalId":330874,"journal":{"name":"2019 8th International Workshop on Tracking, Telemetry and Command Systems for Space Applications (TTC)","volume":"160 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114678190","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
R. Abello, R. Prata, L. S. Ugarte, L. Simone, M. Baldi, F. Chiaraluce, R. Fernandes, P. Silva, R. Garello, D. Gelfusa, J. Palomo, E. Paolini
{"title":"NEXTRACK - Next Generation ESTRACK Uplink Services","authors":"R. Abello, R. Prata, L. S. Ugarte, L. Simone, M. Baldi, F. Chiaraluce, R. Fernandes, P. Silva, R. Garello, D. Gelfusa, J. Palomo, E. Paolini","doi":"10.1109/TTC.2019.8895312","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TTC.2019.8895312","url":null,"abstract":"The Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems has recently updated its recommendation for uplink communication systems, to cope with new requirements for telecommand and modern profiles and applications. Two short Low-Density Parity-Check (LDPC) codes have been added to the Coding and Synchronization sublayer options, to improve the link performance. In this paper we focus on the real-time implementation of the transmitter for the Ground Station segment. We analyze the critical modules, in particular LDPC encoding, for which two efficient solutions based on a Shift Register Adder Accumulator and on Winograd convolution are considered. We then discuss the selection of a proper hardware or software platform, and we show that a Central Processing Unit-based solution is able to achieve the high data-rates required by the new uplink applications.","PeriodicalId":330874,"journal":{"name":"2019 8th International Workshop on Tracking, Telemetry and Command Systems for Space Applications (TTC)","volume":"12 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125396896","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
N. Maturo, JUAN CARLOS MERLANO DUNCAN, J. Krivochiza, J. Querol, D. Spano, S. Chatzinotas, B. Ottersten
{"title":"Demonstrator of Precoding Technique for a Multi-Beams Satellite System","authors":"N. Maturo, JUAN CARLOS MERLANO DUNCAN, J. Krivochiza, J. Querol, D. Spano, S. Chatzinotas, B. Ottersten","doi":"10.1109/TTC.2019.8895466","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TTC.2019.8895466","url":null,"abstract":"In this document, we present a real-time demonstrator of precoding technique, to be used to enable full frequency reuse in the forward link of future multi-beam satellite systems. To this aim, our demonstrator will implement all the functionalities required to correctly exploit the achievable gain coming from the usage of precoding. In particular, the main functionality to be included on the User Terminal (UT) side is the proper collection of the estimated Channel State Information (CSI). On the Gateway (GW), a computationally-efficient calculation of the precoding matrix and application of the resulting precoder to the vectors of symbol streams, have to been developed. Using this demonstrator we are able to prove the feasibility of precoding implementation in satellite communications relying on the superframe framing structure defined in Annex E of the DVB-S2X standard.","PeriodicalId":330874,"journal":{"name":"2019 8th International Workshop on Tracking, Telemetry and Command Systems for Space Applications (TTC)","volume":"37 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128015426","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. Ardito, P. Maguire, S. Marti, N. Maturo, M. Mercolino, L. Quibus, D. Vanhoenacker-Janvier, R. Abello, A. Aroumont, M. Baldi, F. Barbaglio, F. Chiaraluce, G. Comoretto, S. Finocchiaro, A. Graziani
{"title":"Off-line Correlator for Antenna Array Over Long Baselines","authors":"A. Ardito, P. Maguire, S. Marti, N. Maturo, M. Mercolino, L. Quibus, D. Vanhoenacker-Janvier, R. Abello, A. Aroumont, M. Baldi, F. Barbaglio, F. Chiaraluce, G. Comoretto, S. Finocchiaro, A. Graziani","doi":"10.1109/TTC.2019.8895359","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TTC.2019.8895359","url":null,"abstract":"This paper illustrates the design, implementation and testing of a prototype of an off-line correlator for large dish antenna array, in the frame of the ESA-funded study “Prototype of off-line Correlator for Arraying of Large Aperture Antennas” In order to improve the performance of downlink reception, a four 35-m antenna array is a valid alternative to a single large 70-m dish, offering the same performance with remarkable advantages, such as being more fail-safe against the failure of components. The concept is to acquire two or more replicas of the same signal at different Ground Stations and combine them after delay and phase correction, due mainly to media and clock offset. After a first study phase of the best combination and correlation methods, as well as of the requirements driven by the analysis of the error sources of delay and phase misalignment, the tool has been designed, implemented and successfully tested. Together with the correlator, a simulator has also been developed, in order to better test the performance of the combination tool. Tests with simulated, static (generated in ESOC) and real mission data have been carried out. The improvement in the Signal-to-Noise Ratio has been demonstrated, and the information bits have been successfully reconstructed after the combination of the deep space signal acquired in Cebreros and Malargüe stations from Exomars and Mars Express spacecraft, endorsing the tool for an off-line use in the near future.","PeriodicalId":330874,"journal":{"name":"2019 8th International Workshop on Tracking, Telemetry and Command Systems for Space Applications (TTC)","volume":"24 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127967809","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
H. Schlemmer, Nemanja Stamenic, B. Ferenczi, M. Schoenhuber
{"title":"Results from a CCSDS-compliant High Photon Efficiency Downlink SDR Platform","authors":"H. Schlemmer, Nemanja Stamenic, B. Ferenczi, M. Schoenhuber","doi":"10.1109/TTC.2019.8895458","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TTC.2019.8895458","url":null,"abstract":"Target of the ESA project Optical Hybrid is a breadboard implementation of a high photon efficiency (HPE) link for space missions, compliant with the CCSDS recommended standard for optical communication. Especially the physical layer and coding and modulation layer are considered. The specification is targeting high photon efficiency, which is an important new aspect. Therefore the emulation of the downlink physical layer is a baseline in the project. The signal processing part was implemented on a SDR platform, which is able to generate and process SCPPM modulated pulses down to 2ns length. In the first project phase an end-to-end system simulation was setup. Performance results are presented in the context of this paper.","PeriodicalId":330874,"journal":{"name":"2019 8th International Workshop on Tracking, Telemetry and Command Systems for Space Applications (TTC)","volume":"25 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116648630","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Fast Method for optimizing the Amplifier Output Back-off by Means of the Total Degradation","authors":"Andrea Modenini, A. Ugolini, G. Colavolpe","doi":"10.1109/TTC.2019.8895278","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TTC.2019.8895278","url":null,"abstract":"In this paper, we propose a novel technique to derive the optimal amplifier working point, in terms of output back-off, for a transmission system adopting a nonlinear amplifier. The proposed strategy is based on an alternative way to compute the total degradation, based on an information theoretical analysis, which allows to find the optimal back-off in a significantly faster and less computationally demanding way with respect to the classical method. Despite this, we show, by means of an example, that we can obtain the same results and, hence, our strategy can be applied without incurring in performance penalties.","PeriodicalId":330874,"journal":{"name":"2019 8th International Workshop on Tracking, Telemetry and Command Systems for Space Applications (TTC)","volume":"263 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132388106","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M. Baldi, R. Prata, L. Simone, C. Urrutia, M. Bertinelli, F. Chiaraluce, P. F. Silva, R. Garello, N. Maturo, M. Navarro, J. Palomo, E. Paolini
{"title":"Theoretical Analysis and Implementation of Effective Receivers for Telecommand Space Links","authors":"M. Baldi, R. Prata, L. Simone, C. Urrutia, M. Bertinelli, F. Chiaraluce, P. F. Silva, R. Garello, N. Maturo, M. Navarro, J. Palomo, E. Paolini","doi":"10.1109/TTC.2019.8895426","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TTC.2019.8895426","url":null,"abstract":"This paper deals with the feasibility of the new receiver scheme for telecommand space links, based on the adoption of short low-density parity-check codes recently introduced in the standard. Being able to reduce significantly the required signal-to-noise ratio, these codes have an impact on the acquisition, tracking and synchronization issues. All these aspects have been faced, both theoretically and practically through the realization of a breadboard that implements the core elements of the on-board receiver, and is able to demodulate and decode uplink signals employing the new codes. The breadboard incorporates innovative solutions to cope with the acquisition and synchronization problems, and a pioneering implementation of non-iterative decoders based on the most reliable basis algorithm.","PeriodicalId":330874,"journal":{"name":"2019 8th International Workshop on Tracking, Telemetry and Command Systems for Space Applications (TTC)","volume":"27 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133585292","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}