MOBILE CUBESAT COMMAND AND CONTROL GROUND STATION ARCHITECTURE FOR FREE-SPACE OPTICAL COMMUNICATION RECEIVER

The United States military continues to encourage the need for robust satellite communications in order to successfully execute defense missions. CubeSats are a smaller-scale spacecraft, initially utilized to expand educational opportunities in the field of aerospace and satellite communications. This research explores both existing and potential ground station architecture options for integration of free-space optical communication downlinks from CubeSats. Future experimentation plans will focus on the application of this capability in more diverse environments to include expanded ground architecture opportunities. Systems engineering design and architecture methods are useful in understanding the current hardware and software options and limitations for future expansion opportunities. By considering a comparable planning approach, alternatives for architecture development can be organized to aid in the identification of control factors for sub-system and ground communication interfaces. As a well-established CubeSat communications system, the existing Mobile CubeSat Command and Control (MC3) architecture serves as an excellent candidate for experimental integration and eventual considerations for a planned proof of concept.Civilian, Naval Information Warfare CenterApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited

A study and experiment plan for digital mobile communication via satellite

The viability of mobile communications is examined within the context of a frequency division multiple access, single channel per carrier satellite system emphasizing digital techniques to serve a large population of users. The intent is to provide the mobile users with a grade of service consistant with the requirements for remote, rural (perhaps emergency) voice communications, but which approaches toll quality speech. A traffic model is derived on which to base the determination of the required maximum number of satellite channels to provide the anticipated level of service. Various voice digitalization and digital modulation schemes are reviewed along with a general link analysis of the mobile system. Demand assignment multiple access considerations and analysis tradeoffs are presented. Finally, a completed configuration is described

Data distribution satellite

A description is given of a data distribution satellite (DDS) system. The DDS would operate in conjunction with the tracking and data relay satellite system to give ground-based users real time, two-way access to instruments in space and space-gathered data. The scope of work includes the following: (1) user requirements are derived; (2) communication scenarios are synthesized; (3) system design constraints and projected technology availability are identified; (4) DDS communications payload configuration is derived, and the satellite is designed; (5) requirements for earth terminals and network control are given; (6) system costs are estimated, both life cycle costs and user fees; and (7) technology developments are recommended, and a technology development plan is given. The most important results obtained are as follows: (1) a satellite designed for launch in 2007 is feasible and has 10 Gb/s capacity, 5.5 kW power, and 2000 kg mass; (2) DDS features include on-board baseband switching, use of Ku- and Ka-bands, multiple optical intersatellite links; and (3) system user costs are competitive with projected terrestrial communication costs

Satellite Services for Disaster Management and Security Applications

Satellites can be a vital communications element in case of emergencies or natural disasters. This is not only true for developing countries, but also for highly developed regions. As the example of the floods in Central Europe in 2002 have shown, even basic telecommunications services can become unavailable. During natural or man-made disasters, access to data from meteorological and remote sensing satellites is extremely important for assessing the situation

An emergency communication system based on software-defined radio

Wireless telecommunications represent an important asset for Public Protection and Disaster Relief (PPDR) organizations as they improve the coordination and the distribution of information among first responders in the field. In large international disaster scenarios, many different PPDR organizations may participate to the response phase of disaster management. In this context, PPDR organizations may use different wireless communication technologies; such diversity may create interoperability barriers and degrade the coordination among first time responders. In this paper, we present the design, system integration and testing of a demonstration system based on Software Defined Radio (SDR) technology and Software Communication Architecture (SCA) to support PPDR operations with special focus on the provision of satellite communications. This paper describes the main components of the demonstration system, the integration activities as well as the testing scenarios, which were used to evaluate the technical feasibility. The paper also describes the main technical challenges in the implementation and integration of the demonstration system. Finally future developments for this technology and potential deployment challenges are presented.JRC.G.6-Digital Citizen Securit

Development of Airships Stratospheric Platform Systems (SPS)

In this paper are introduced airships as part of new Stratospheric Platform System (SPS) in function of space communications. Airships are the latest space techniques with advanced technology for fixed and all mobile applications, including military and rural solutions. This SPS employ unmanned or manned, solar or fuel energy airships or aircraft carrying payloads with transponders and antennas. The airship SPS can be considered as a novel solution for providing communication and navigation services. The research and development of airships for putting the system in to practical use is ongoing in some countries. The remote controlled-solar powered airships or aircraft offer a much more cost effective solution for coverage of some region or country including urban, suburban, rural areas, farms and other environments with low population densities. The airship network offers a better solution than existing cellular radio systems, with greater speed of transmission than even ground optical modes. An airship roaming is enhanced without severe shadowing problems and disturbances inside buildings, and the service costs less. The airships mission today can be integrated with current Satellite or cellular systems. This space solution is more autonomous and discrete and will be good solution for rural, military and all mobile applications

Space-Based Reconfigurable Software Defined Radio Test Bed Aboard International Space Station

The National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) recently launched a new software defined radio research test bed to the International Space Station. The test bed, sponsored by the Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Office within NASA is referred to as the SCaN Testbed. The SCaN Testbed is a highly capable communications system, composed of three software defined radios, integrated into a flight system, and mounted to the truss of the International Space Station. Software defined radios offer the future promise of in-flight reconfigurability, autonomy, and eventually cognitive operation. The adoption of software defined radios offers space missions a new way to develop and operate space transceivers for communications and navigation. Reconfigurable or software defined radios with communications and navigation functions implemented in software or VHDL (Very High Speed Hardware Description Language) provide the capability to change the functionality of the radio during development or after launch. The ability to change the operating characteristics of a radio through software once deployed to space offers the flexibility to adapt to new science opportunities, recover from anomalies within the science payload or communication system, and potentially reduce development cost and risk by adapting generic space platforms to meet specific mission requirements. The software defined radios on the SCaN Testbed are each compliant to NASA's Space Telecommunications Radio System (STRS) Architecture. The STRS Architecture is an open, non-proprietary architecture that defines interfaces for the connections between radio components. It provides an operating environment to abstract the communication waveform application from the underlying platform specific hardware such as digital-to-analog converters, analog-to-digital converters, oscillators, RF attenuators, automatic gain control circuits, FPGAs, general-purpose processors, etc. and the interconnections among different radio components

Satellite Networks: Architectures, Applications, and Technologies

Since global satellite networks are moving to the forefront in enhancing the national and global information infrastructures due to communication satellites' unique networking characteristics, a workshop was organized to assess the progress made to date and chart the future. This workshop provided the forum to assess the current state-of-the-art, identify key issues, and highlight the emerging trends in the next-generation architectures, data protocol development, communication interoperability, and applications. Presentations on overview, state-of-the-art in research, development, deployment and applications and future trends on satellite networks are assembled

Proceedings of the Second International Mobile Satellite Conference (IMSC 1990)

Presented here are the proceedings of the Second International Mobile Satellite Conference (IMSC), held June 17-20, 1990 in Ottawa, Canada. Topics covered include future mobile satellite communications concepts, aeronautical applications, modulation and coding, propagation and experimental systems, mobile terminal equipment, network architecture and control, regulatory and policy considerations, vehicle antennas, and speech compression

GSM Sensor Based Accident Information System by Using GPS: Case of Ethiopia

Traffic accidents are increasing periodically at an alarming rate and it is a serious problem throughout the globe particularly in developing countries like Ethiopia. There are a number of factors that contribute to the risk of traffic accidents. Some include vehicle design, road design, road environment, driving skills, impairment due to alcohol or drugs, notably distracted driving and speeding. And due to the lack of emergency facilities in our country the person involved in the car accident usually dies at the scene.The aim of this paper is to deploy and develop a system which will provide an optimum solution to the above stated draw back Once the accident has been dedicated (significantly within less time) a message will be sent through the GSM module with the basic information to first aid center within a few seconds covering geographical coordinates, the time and angle in which a vehicle accident had occurred with the help of the GPS module. This alert message is sent to the rescue team in a short time, which will help in saving valuable lives