Small satellite missions are becoming more popular. To reduce costs of such projects COTS are used to build the spacecraft and amateur bands are utilized to communicate with it. Although using the hamradio frequencies is free of charge and requires only coordination procedures [1], it is good habit to include on satellite some service for radioamateur society in return. The BRITE-PL-2 Heweliusz [2] satellite – the second Polish satellite from BRITE constellation – will have an S-Band beacon transmitting Morse code signals.
The student activity related to aviation and space systems requires utilization of appropriate antenna systems and suitable
tracking devices which are responsible for pointing the antennas in the required direction. There are employed various
solutions from manual tracking (antenna in hand) to sophisticated computer systems. In this article are presented
experiences which are the result of projects – building devices mentioned above – realized by students from Warsaw
University of Technology. There are presented professional constructions and their equivalents built by students in order
to reduce cost. The latter ones were used in ground stations for high altitude balloon missions, utilized for
communication with amateur satellites as well as the essential part of ground communication systems for PW-Sat and
YES2 satellite missions.
Konrad Skup, A. Cichocki, R. Graczyk, M. Michalska, M. Mosdorf, W. Nowosielski, P. Orleański, A. Przepiórka, K. Seweryn, M. Stolarski, M. Winkler, J. Sylwester, M. Kowalinski, T. Mrozek, P. Podgorski, A. Benz, S. Krucker, G. Hurford, N. Arnold, H. Önel, A. Meuris, O. Limousin, O. Grimm
KEYWORDS: Sensors, X-rays, Space operations, Attenuators, Imaging systems, X-ray imaging, Field programmable gate arrays, Control systems, Data processing, Electronics
The Spectrometer/Telescope for Imaging X-rays (STIX) is one of 10 instruments on board Solar Orbiter, an M-class
mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) scheduled to be launch in 2017. STIX applies a Fourier-imaging
technique using a set of tungsten grids in front of 32 pixelized CdTe detectors to provide imaging spectroscopy of solar
thermal and non-thermal hard X-ray emissions from 4 to 150 keV. These detectors are source of data collected and
analyzed in real-time by Instrument Data Processing Unit (IDPU). Besides the data processing the IDPU controls and
manages other STIX’s subsystems: ASICs and ADCs associated with detectors, Aspect System, Attenuator, PSU and
HK. The instrument reviewed in this paper is based on the design that passed the Instrument Preliminary Design Review
(IPDR) in early 2012 and Software Preliminary Design Review (SW PDR) in middle of 2012. Particular emphasis is
given to the IDPU and low level software called Basic SW (BSW).
PW-Sat satellite has been launched into the orbit together with eight other small satellites. After the launch and
separation they were occupying very close positions (what has been indicated by radar observations), so it was
impossible to determine which object was PW-Sat. This article describes how the exact position of satellite has been
determined by means of precision signal reception and employing Doppler shift calculations.
Design and implementation of hardware mock-up of high performance system for general avionics testing in
reconfigurable FPGAs. Strong emphasis is put on exploiting dynamic partial reconfiguration capability as a method for
functionality multiplexing and fault mitigation. Additionally, dynamic reconfiguration can be used for fault injection
which makes Single Event Upset in configuration memory simulation possible. LEON3 processors are used to create an
avionic systems test-bed, for testing the mock-ups of real system flight software and testing dynamic full and partial
reconfiguration. Experiments with different means of reconfiguration are performed to measure reconfiguration times
and stability of software. Several solutions for whole system reconfiguration controller have been implemented and
tested.
In recent years it easy to spot and increasing need of high-quality Earth imaging in airborne and space applications. This
is due fact that government and local authorities urge for up to date topological data for administrative purposes. On the
other hand, interest in environmental sciences, push for ecological approach, efficient agriculture and forests
management are also heavily supported by Earth images in various resolutions and spectral ranges.
"SPEKTROP DPU: Opto-electronic platform for fast multi-spectral imaging" paper describes architectural datails of
data processing unit, part of universal and modular platform that provides high quality imaging functionality in
aerospace applications.
KEYWORDS: Satellites, Solar cells, Telecommunications, Satellite communications, Power supplies, Antennas, Transmitters, Transceivers, Control systems, Space operations
The paper presents a satellite platform developed in Institute of Radioelectronics, Warsaw University of Technology, for
present and future student pico-satellite missions. The platform consists of all systems necessary to proper operation of
payload equipment that could be placed on the satellite: mechanical structure, power supply unit, communications and control system.
Modem Satellites are built by international teams with all the components being created in different parts of the world. Common communication protocols are established by the designers to ensure the compatibility of all the components. Despite of all the detailed arrangements differences may arise that can lead to communication errors. To ensure proper communication between all the satellite's components tests have to be carried out. The methods used nowadays are expensive as the simulators and laboratory models need to be built. The article will describe the ways used to test satellites on the example of the Integral Satellite. It will also present an Author's project of a virtual bus that allows testing of the satellite's apparatus and software during the construction stage of the prototype. Its main advantage is the fact of using the Internet as a way of communication to test the components when they are in there parent laboratories all over the world. VirtualCAN bus is one of the suggestions for other teams building the students' satellite named ESEO within the European Space Agency project (ESA SSETI ESEO).
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