Branham, Breana

DeLuca, Michael

Moyer, Travis

Palo, Scott

Sobtzak, John

Sonth, Neeti

Tianang, Elie

English

DigitalCommons@USU

  John S. Sobtzak, Elie G.Tianang, Varun Joshi, Breana M. Branham, Neeti P. Sonth, Michael DeLuca, Travis Moyer, Kyle Wislinsky, and Dr. Scott E. Palo College of Engineering & Applied Science, University of Colorado at Boulder A Deep Space Radio Communications Link for Cubesats: The CU-E3 Communication Subsystem The CU-E3 Solution CU's Earth Escape Explorer (CU-E3) The University of Colorado's - Earth Escape Explorer (CU-E3) is a 6U cubesat being designed and built to compete in NASA's Cube Quest Challenge - Deep Space Derby. CU-E3 will be attempting communication from ≥ 4,000,000 km, requiring us to “escape” the influence of the “Earth” and “explore” deep space.   NASA’s Cube Quest Challenge o The Cube Quest Challenge has two phases: 1.  Ground Tournaments (GT-1 thru GT-4)†: - Maximum of $100,000 for any one team. - Phase completed in June 2017. 2.  The "In-space Prizes": - 365-day competition period. a)  Lunar Derby • Up to $3 million in prizes. • Technical objectives in propulsion & communications. b)  Deep Space Derby • Up to $1.5 million in prizes. • Focus on deep space communications using small spacecraft. • Competition starts at 4,000,000 km: i.  Best Burst Data Rate - $250,000 ii.  Largest Aggregate Data - $750,000 iii.  Spacecraft Longevity - $250,000 iv.  Farthest Communication -  $250,000 † CU-E3 placed 2nd during the Ground Tournament phase, earning $80,000, and has been offered a position on the SLS’s EM-1 mission!!!   Challenges Faced by CU-E3 o Size – restricted to 6U dimensions. • Limits power generation and heat dissipation. • Limits transmitter power. • Limits use of classic high-gain antennas.  →  Limits possible radiated signal strength (EIRP)! o Limited time & money! • GTs’ schedule very short & tight. • Rad-hardened parts too expensive. →  Could not design everything from scratch. →  Use COTS components as much as possible. →  Prototype circuits quickly for P.O.C & testing. o Distance – extremely long range. →  EVERY dB COUNTS!!! The Challenge! Reflectarray & Horn Antennas o CU-E3 utilizes a novel, student-designed, reflectarray antenna and feed horn. • Planar design  →  fits 6U cubesat form factor. • Utilizes standard PCB microstrip technology. →  easy and relatively inexpensive to fabricate. • High gain  →  22.3 dB at X-band Tx frequency.   o CU-E3’s design includes a second feed horn antenna. • Provides back-up communication link in the event primary reflectarray antenna does not deploy. • Lower gain  →  12.8 dB, but can still close link.   High-Rate CubeSat Communication System (HRCCS)‡ o CU-E3 will provide the maiden launch for the HRCCS. • Designed for deep space X-band frequencies. • Provides a flexible communications platform. • Compatible with NASA’s NEN & DSN.   Downlink Budget Analysis Summary Key Notes SSC17-P1-07 TX ANTENNA-ReflectArrayFeedHornReflectArrayFeedHornReflectArrayFeedHornSLANT RANGE kmTRANSMITTED EIRP dBm 56.6 47.1 56.6 47.1 56.6 47.1TOTAL SIGNAL POWER @ OUTPUT OF LNB (S) dBm -82.4 -91.9 -85.9 -95.4 -99.0 -108.5NOISE POWER DENSITY OF RX  @ OUTPUT OF LNB (No) dBm/Hz -123.0 -123.0 -123.0 -123.0 -123.0 -123.0NOISE POWER OF RX (N) dBm -94.3 -103.8 -97.9 -107.4 -111.0 -112.2USEFUL BIT RATE bits/s 608 68 270 30 13 1ENERGY PER BIT (Eb) W/bit -110.3 -110.2 -110.3 -110.2 -110.1 -108.5Received SNR (@ OUTPUT OF LNB) dB 11.9 11.9 11.9 12.0 12.0 3.7Resulting Eb/No dB 12.7 12.7 12.7 12.8 12.8 14.5Link Margin dB 6.10 6.12 6.11 6.15 6.22 7.864,000,000 6,000,000 27,000,000‡Palo, S.E., “High Rate Communications for CubeSats”, Proc. of the IEEE International Microwave Symposium, Phoenix, AZ, 2015. ‡ Palo, S.E., D. O’Connor, E. DeVito, R. Kohnert, G. Crum and S. Altunc, “Expanding CubeSat Capabilities with a Low Cost Transceiver”, Proc. of the AIAA Small Satellite Conference, Logan, UT, 2014. XB1ILRLOXB1 CDH  Tx_HRCCS_FPGARS422EIRP +56.6 dBmC-BAND UPLINK5182 MHzRx_IF_BPFLark EngineeringLO = 4770 MHz+35.5 dBmPLLRx_OCXOTaitienXO-0087_TT100 MHzRx_PCBCDH/FSWADCSEPSRx_COAX_2IF = 450 MHzLFX-BAND DOWNLINK8447.6 MHzTx_PA_PCBRF = 5210 MHzRx_COAX_1Rx_MixerMini-CircuitsSIM-73L+Rx_LNAPasternackPE15A1010NF       dBGain        dBRx_C-Band_PatchGain      dBiRx_PLL_VCOAnalog DevicesHMC833LP6GE   –      MHzRx_VCO_AmpAnalog DevicsHMC3587Rx_COAX_3 Rx_COAX_4Tx_PAAnalog DevicesHMC7357LP5GEP1dB         dBmPAE      Tx_SWDow-Key Microwave401T-420832RL        dBIL       dBTx_PA_VRLinear TechnologiesLT8610ACη            ATx_COAX_2IL       dB8.0 V8.9 VVggBiasControllerTx_HRCCS_PCBVoltageRegulatorProcessor/FPGARF = 8447.6 MHzLRIRx_UHFAstronauticalDevelopmentLithium - 2QuadModulatorTx_COAX_1HRCCS  CU/NASA/LASPTx_Hybrid_1Anaren1E0018-3RL        dBIL        dB+35.1 dBmTx_COAX_3IL       dBTx_COAX_4IL       dBTx_Hybrid_2Anaren1E0018-3RL        dBIL        dBTx_Feed_HornGain = 12.8 dBiTx_Reflect_ArrayGain = 22.3 dBiTx_COAX_5IL       dBTx_COAX_6IL       dBTx_COAX_7IL       dBTx_COAX_8IL       dB+34.5 dBm+34.5 dBmEIRP +47.1 dBmXB1 CDH  Rx_PLL_VCOSPIXB1 CDH  Rx_UHFRS422

A Deep Space Radio Communications Link for CubeSats: The CU-E3 Communication Subsystem

https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3704&amp;context=smallsat

A Deep Space Radio Communications Link for CubeSats: The CU-E3 Communication Subsystem

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