Cubesat Remote Data & Comms
Transponders
2015 Smallsat Cubesat Conference, Utah
Bob Bruninga WB4APR
US Naval Academy Satellite Lab
[email protected] Dr. Mirek Kasal OK2AQK
Tomas Urbanec, P. Vágner
Ocean Buoys w/ RF Terminals
Mike Ruprecht, DK3WN
GROUND
STATION
A satellite relay channel for Amateur
Satellite User data anywhere on earth. PSAT
Cubesat Remote Data & Comms Transponders
A satellite relay channel for Amateur Satelilte
User data anywhere on earth.
The Earth The Air
The Climate The Water
The Wildlife Humanity
Human-to-Human communications
Remote Robot communications
Cubesat Remote Data & Comms Transponders
A satellite relay channel for Amateur Satelilte
User data anywhere on earth.
Engineering Educational Objective:
One or two semester student engineering projects
Individual engineering responsibility
Low cost
Driven to completion
Where Failure (learning) is an option
Cubesat Remote Data & Comms Transponders
A satellite relay channel for Amateur Satelilte
User data anywhere on earth.
Problem with Spacecraft segment focus:
Multi-year, often delayed, expensive small cubesats
do not well meet these particular undergraduate
objectives.
Solution: Ground Terminal Applications Focus
Supports Student Experimenters world wide
OR
OR
OR OR
Quicker Student involvement using a Ground
Terminal Operational Concept
Ground Terminal Applications Focus (force tracking and text-messaging)
Supports Student Experimenters
School missions/movements
Theater area communications
and Emergency Response Comms
Education
Force
Multiplier!
APRS Global data network
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APRS Local & Global Internet linked Data
Network
APRS Global Packet Radio Network
Internet Linked for live Communications
Automatic Packet Reporting System
APRS Global data network
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Arctic Buoy Student
Experiment
• USNA Arctic Buoy deployed March 2012
The APRS piece
Example Remote Sensors using APRS Protocol
Very Simple
APRS transmitter
GPS
Why We Need Psat Satellite Transponders
• Transatlantic APRS balloon launched
and tracked through terrestrial network
• Lost comms over Atlantic Ocean
• It could have been picked up by our
Psat/Pcsat transponder or the ISS
Global Wilderness Areas (90% of Earth)
• Live Global APRS Balloon Tracking Web Page
Global Wilderness Areas (90% of Earth)
M0XER-3, 4 and 6
• Live Global APRS Balloon Tracking Web Page
Tiny M0XER APRS (balloon data) payloads
434 MHz ‘M0XER-4
‘round-da-world
“APRS” Tracking
Track any experiment
anywhere and collect
data
Tactical situational awareness
Hand-Held Satcom via APRS & Psat
Ground Terminal is Walkie-Talkie, and Palm Pilot
“When you have no comms,
1200 baud text/data is great!”
CAPT Chas Richard
APRS Global data network
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MAREA* Rover Projects ( ARRL)
• STEM School
projects
• Excite kids with
Robotics
• Drive anywhere
on Earth!
• Via APRS links
*http://www.arrl.org/marea-ham-radio-robotics
Psat USNA-0601
Ground Terminal Applications Focus
Tactical Situational Awareness and Text Messaging
Last 100 stations!
Direction & Distance
Frequency and Tone
APRS Experiment Data Access (via internet)
http://map.findu.com/wb4apr* to see data on ANY experiment in the world
* Click to see all stations on map
Based on the USNA Automatic Packet Reporting System
Tracking (on Google Earth)
Map.findu.com/wb4apr*
http://aprs.fi
Tactical situational awareness
Findu.com Telemetry Plots
Live Example: www.aprs.org/wb4apr-15.html
Our Amateur Satellite Data Relay Problem
• ISS – Always there, but
does not cover the poles
• PCSAT-1 since 2001, but only
works when it wants to…
• NEED a continuous presence
in space for these relays!
• The more the better!
Dual Hop Operations with PCSAT-1 and PCSAT2:
APRS Global data network
09/02/23 22
All on 145.825 MHz
1990
See live downlink on http://pcsat.aprs.org and www.ariss.net
APRS Global data network
09/02/23 23
APRS in Space
Automatic Packet Reporting System
• 2001 PCSAT-1 Prototype Comm (semi-operational)
• 2006 PCSAT2 on ISS (returned after 1 year)
• 2007 ANDE de-orbited in 1 year
• 2008 RAFT de-orbited in 5 months
• 2007 Present ISS semi-operational due crew settings
• 2014 CAPE II AX.25 U of Louisiana (Nick Pugh)
• 2015 PSAT APRS and PSK31
Experimenters need a continuous Transponder in Space
APRS space frequency is published as 145.825
See live downlink on http://pcsat.aprs.org and www.ariss.net
Huge reduction from transponders on
Psat USNA-0601 PCSAT’s 1,2, ANDE and RAFT missions
Earlier reductions to 5”
cubesat on RAFT (2006)
4:1
Now reduced 18:1
in volume/mass for
4” cubesat 2009
APRS Global data network
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AX.25 A single 3” Square card 145.825 MHz
Mission: Remote Data Relay, Data Exfiltration, Remote Sensor Relay
Benefit: Support Space Education on the ground through space applications
and student experimental access
Hardware: VHF simplex data Xsponder 145.825 MHz
Size/Mass: < 10 cu.in (1 PCB 3.4” square), <0.1kg
Power: < 1W orbit average, 5 volts.
Integration Requirement: Simply, on/off (or *)
Structure Impact: Needs 19” thin wire whip antenna (1 cu.in)
Benefit to Spacecraft: High visibilty to worldwide educational
institutions, fosters collaboration, orders of magnitude greater student
experimental access to space systems (ground segment). * Independent back-up
telemetry command/ control channel, RS232 serial data, 16 on/off discretes,
backdoor reset capability. Worldwide Telemetry Beacon access via global
station network.
APRS Global data network
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Psat APRS Network
Architecture
Global Volunteer Ground Station
Network
Internet Linked for live Telemetry
APRS Global data network
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Global Volunteer
Groundstations
feed live downlink into Internet
APRS Global data network
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70 APRS Satgates hear ISS, but only 10 hear PSAT (- 17 dB)
APRS Global data network
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APRS Global data network
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Communications Mission Background
APRS is everywhere * (Remote Data Relay)
FOCUS:
“Network
Centric”
&
Remote Sensor
Experiments
APRS 300 stations
In 35 miles
35 mi
Find any station, Any map, Anywhere- http://aprs.fi
APRS Terrestrial Data Relay Network
Supports over 20,000+ terrestrial users and experimenters.
But stops at the shoreline and has huge holes in the wilderness
APRS Global data network
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Satellite Users more sparse – Need to Track to Use
PCSAT2 User Plot 18 Apr 06
APRS Global data network
09/02/23 Vandegriff 33
There are terrestrial network holes everywhere
Just like cell
coverage,
Maybe 70% of USA
users are actually
out of range of the
terrestrial network
in rural areas
And the terrestrial user does not know when the next
APRS satellite is in view…
Our next QIKCOM-1 has an alert Beacon
When over USA, a 1 minute beacon on terrestrial frequency:
- Won’t be heard amongst the din on the terrestrial freq in coverage areas
- Will be heard by mobile out of range of terrestrial connectivity
- Format is QIKCOM-1: 145.825MHz, Tune to operate
- One-button satellite access!
- On the front panel of the radio!
Psat
USNA-0601 Remote Sensor Baseline
2006 15:1 reduction 2
0
0
8
See Buoy Location and Telemetry at
http://www.ew.unsa.edu/~bruninga/buoy4.html
Piggrem
Remote Buoy Baseline Test – Success of 1 min Xmit rate
APRS Global data network
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If it flies, it could have an APRS transponder on it
• If it is off the ground we want
a TRANSPONDER on it!
• Range at 5000’ = 100 miles
APRS Global data network
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QuickLook: Global APRS Data Network
• aprs.fi - Every Packet on Earth
• ariss.net - Every packet via ISS
• pcsat.aprs.org – Every packet via PCSAT
APRS Global data network
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Psat USNA-0601 Psat Transponder & Aux Payload
75% Payload Space Available! (only 50% shown here)
18 cu.in for Transponder
External 19” whip antenna
68 cu.in for Aux Payload (SPMS?)
Aux payload gets 4” external panel
Aug payload gets .5 kg – self contained
1 to 3W average power for aux payload
APRS Global data network Vandegriff
09/02/23 40
PSAT Unique parallel-charge EPS Design
• Uses 2 NiCd cells per solar panel
Unique Power Attitude – Z coil ADCS
• Uses only one Z coil for attitude Control
• Fires only within +/- 20 deg of Equator
• Solar Panel angle better than 95% power
• Higher reliability
• Passive Spin maintenance
Differential Radiation Spin
PSAT’s mass is centered in Z
• For Maximum
MOI about Z
• Batteries to
outside for
MOI &
Shielding
• Stainless steel
belt around
everything
APRS Global data network
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APRS Global data network
09/02/23 44
1 Aug is 27 RPM!
• When we find the time we are really looking forward to understanding
our Solar Radiative Spin system.
APRS Global data network
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PSAT: Aux PSK31 Transponder Payload
• Flew on PCSAT2 on ISS but astronaut broke off HF antenna
• Flew on RAFT but took 1 kW uplink and negative power budget
• Now Operational since May 2015 launch of PSAT and BRICsat
• Both transponders built at Brno Univ, Czech Republic.
28 MHz 435.350
SSB uplinks FM downlink
APRS Global data network
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PSAT: PSK31 Transponder Payload !!!
Built Dr. Mirek Kasal OK2AQK and students Tomas Urbanec, P. Vágner
HF Linear RX FM XMTR
APRS Global data network
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APRS Global data network
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Tuning Antennas on a 7” Spacecraft
Imagine turning a 6’ HF
whip on a 7” spacecraft
Ground plane!
Any instrument
connection detunes
SWR to infinity
So, Put Analyzer inside!
APRS Global data network
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PSAT Nitinol Wire Whip Antennas
APRS Global data network
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Wrapping Antennas to one Burn Resistor
2 Orthogonal
UHF whips
One VHF whip
One 6’ HF whip
3rd Enable Switch
APRS Global data network
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APRS Global data network
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APRS Global data network
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How not to Make a Satellite
Make sure it fits
Stop adding neat features…
APRS Global data network
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The boards stack across and zero clearance
• For Maximum
MOI about Z
• Batteries to
outside for
Shielding
APRS Global data network
09/02/23 55
Chip Radiation Shielding?
Epoxy Lead
squares over
critical chip
dies
APRS Global data network
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APRS Global data network
09/02/23 57
QIKCOM-2 converts DTMF to both Voice and APRS
and APRS data to voice!
With QIKCOM-2, not just APRS
but DTMF data sources can be
relayed among all users.
The 324 Grid system has 99 grids…
Position to 60 miles in 4 digits
Standard Message communications (4 bytes)
• Since 1800’s
for telegraph
• since1927 or
so for radio
• Most of the
time, most of
what is said,
has been said
before
• Q2 has 99
messages and
99 modifiers
Remember, lots of Space APS here on Earth
• STEM School
projects
• Excite kids with
Robotics
• Drive anywhere
on Earth!
• Via APRS links
*http://www.arrl.org/marea-ham-radio-robotics
