Software defined radio architecture contributions to next generation space communications (original) (raw)
Related papers
Software Defined Radio Architecture for NASA's Space Communications
2007
The National Aeronautics and Space A d m i n i s t r a t i o n (NASA) is developing a standardized platform for future space communications needs, based on software-defined radio (SDR) concepts. The goal is to have a system that does not require a complete custom hardware/software design for each mission. Instead, NASA desires an adaptable and scalable system that can accommodate the performance demands of many different radio systems. In addition, the hardware/software architecture is intended to protect the intellectual property rights of contractors regarding the internal operation of the portions of the system they provide.
Hardware Architecture Study for NASA's Space Software Defined Radios
2006 IEEE Annual Wireless and Microwave Technology Conference, 2006
This study defines a hardware architecture approach for software defined radios to enable commonality among NASA space missions. The architecture accommodates a range of reconfigurable processing technologies including general purpose processors, digital signal processors, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) in addition to flexible and tunable radio frequency (RF) front-ends to satisfy varying mission requirements. The hardware architecture consists of modules, radio functions, and interfaces. The modules are a logical division of common radio functions that comprise a typical communication radio. This paper describes the architecture details, module definitions and the typical functions on each module as well as the module interfaces. Trade-offs between component-based, custom architecture and a functional-based, open architecture are described. The architecture does not specify the internal physical implementation within each module, nor does the architecture mandate the standards or ratings of the hardware used to construct the radios.
Adaptable Architectures for Advanced Space-Based Communications Systems
2009
Achieving NASA's lunar and Mars exploration objectives will require significant advances in space-qualified communications systems. The communications capabilities required by lunar missions and beyond cannot be supported through simple, point-to-point radio communications. While such radio links will may provide basic elements of the system, the number of communications sources, sensors, radios, etc. will necessitate the formation of networks. These networks will require the ability to form automatically, adapt to changing topologies, recover from faults, compensate for interference or other external factors inhibiting communications, and additional capabilities as mission needs evolve over the life of their deployment. The communications systems supporting these missions will require significant advances in the architecture and design over current systems. This paper presents work in progress to meet the needs of the next generation space-based communications and networking.
The NASA Space Communications Data Networking Architecture
SpaceOps 2006 Conference, 2006
The NASA Space Communications Architecture Working Group (SCAWG) has recently been developing an integrated agency-wide space communications architecture in order to provide the necessary communication and navigation capabilities to support NASA's new Exploration and Science Programs. A critical element of the space communications architecture is the end-to-end Data Networking Architecture, which must provide a wide range of services required for missions ranging from planetary rovers to human spaceflight, and from sub-orbital space to deep space. Requirements for a higher degree of user autonomy and interoperability between a variety of elements must be accommodated within an architecture that necessarily features minimum operational complexity. The architecture must also be scalable and evolvable to meet mission needs for the next 25 years. This paper will describe the recommended NASA Data Networking Architecture, present some of the rationale for the recommendations, and will illustrate an application of the architecture to example NASA missions.
Interoperable End-to-End Space Communications Architectures Using CCSDS Building Blocks
End-to-end space communication architectures must connect system elements that may be in space, on the ground in mission operations centers, or are shared assets such as ground communications stations. End-to-end connectivity involves space communications over RF links, but also cross support services, terrestrial network circuits, and a variety of application layer protocols for commanding, telemetry, and mission operations. CCSDS has developed a large suite of interoperable, and cross-supportable, protocols for these purposes. Each of these defines a specific " layer " of functionality, such as: RF modulation, space link error coding, cross support frame delivery, or network layer routing. CCSDS has recently published a Space Communication Cross Support Architecture Requirements Document (SCCS-ARD) that describes how many of these standards fit together and how they are intended to be used. This paper provides an overview of this document, presented so as to explain the concepts so that others may use them. These concepts will be described from several key viewpoints.
Developing Architectures and Technologies for an Evolvable NASA Space Communication Infrastructure
22nd AIAA International Communications Satellite Systems Conference & Exhibit 2004 (ICSSC), 2004
Space communications architecture concepts play a key role in the development and deployment of NASA's future exploration and science missions. Once a mission is deployed, the communication link to the user needs to provide maximum information delivery and flexibility to handle the expected large and complex data sets and to enable direct interaction with the spacecraft and experiments. In human and robotic missions, communication systems need to offer maximum reliability with robust two-way links for software uploads and virtual interactions. Identifying the capabilities to cost effectively meet the demanding space communication needs of 21 st century missions, proper formulation of the requirements for these missions, and identifying the early technology developments that will be needed can only be resolved with architecture design. This paper will describe the development of evolvable space communication architecture models and the technologies needed to support Earth sensor web and collaborative observation formation missions; robotic scientific missions for detailed investigation of planets, moons, and small bodies in the solar system; human missions for exploration of the Moon, Mars, Ganymede, Callisto, and asteroids; human settlements in space, on the Moon, and on Mars; and great in-space observatories for observing other star systems and the universe. The resulting architectures will enable the reliable, multipoint, high data rate capabilities needed on demand to provide continuous, maximum coverage of areas of concentrated activities, such as in the vicinity of outposts inspace, on the Moon or on Mars.
In-Space Networking On NASA’s SCaN Testbed
34th AIAA International Communications Satellite Systems Conference, 2016
The NASA Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Testbed, an external payload onboard the International Space Station, is equipped with three software defined radios (SDRs) and a programmable flight computer. The purpose of the Testbed is to conduct inspace research in the areas of communication, navigation, and networking in support of NASA missions and communication infrastructure. Multiple reprogrammable elements in the end to end system, along with several communication paths and a semi-operational environment, provides a unique opportunity to explore networking concepts and protocols envisioned for the future Solar System Internet (SSI). This paper will provide a general description of the system's design and the networking protocols implemented and characterized on the testbed, including Encapsulation, IP over CCSDS, and Delay-Tolerant Networking (DTN). Due to the research nature of the implementation, flexibility and robustness are considered in the design to enable expansion for future adaptive and cognitive techniques. Following a detailed design discussion, lessons learned and suggestions for future missions and communication infrastructure elements will be provided. Plans for the evolving research on SCaN Testbed as it moves towards a more adaptive, autonomous system will be discussed.
An Overview of Software-Defined Radio Technology in CubeSat Communications
Algerian journal of signals and systems, 2023
Small satellites are becoming more popular because they are cost-effective, easy to assemble, and use commercially available parts. However, traditional ground stations that communicate with small satellites require a lot of hardware and are expensive to build. This makes it challenging to get the most out of small satellites' information. Software Defined Radios (SDRs) have been developed to reduce the cost of these ground stations by doing many of the tasks in software. Many universities and organizations are developing SDR ground stations to communicate with satellites in different orbits. Communication with satellites is critical to their development and operation. This paper proposes a ground station that uses SDR technology to communicate with one or more small satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The station is costeffective, portable, and easily scaled, allowing it to acquire data from satellites.
Software Defined Radio (SDR) for Parallel Satellite Reception in Mobile/Deployable Ground Segments
2015
Software Defined Radios (SDRs) have emerged as a viable approach for space communications over the last decade by delivering low-cost hardware and flexible software solutions. The flexibility introduced by the SDR concept not only allows the realization of multiple standards on one platform, but also promises to ease the implementation of one communication standard on differing SDR platforms by waveform porting. This technology would facilitate implementing reconfigurable nodes for parallel satellite reception in Mobile/Deployable Ground Segments. The SDR architecture was implemented initially in C/C++ and tested over varied embedded platforms and at different data rates from 1.2 to 19.2 kbps. Profiling using gprof demonstrated the need to move the up and down sampling blocks demanding higher computation to Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) logic in order to benefit new architecture optimization and thereby facilitating more than one signal at any given time. The paper includes t...
2020
The rapid growth of SmallSat and CubeSat missions at NASA has necessitated a re-evaluation of communication and remote-sensing architectures. Novel designs for CubeSat-sized single-board computers can now include larger Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and faster System-on-Chip (SoCs) devices. These components substantially improve onboard processing capabilities so that varying subsystems no longer require an independent processor. By replacing individual Radio Frequency (RF) systems with a single software-defined radio (SDR) and processor, mission designers have greater control over reliability, performance, and efficiency. The presented architecture combines individual processing systems into a single design and establishes a modular SDR architecture capable of both remote-sensing and communication applications. This new approach based on a multi-input multioutput (MIMO) SDR features a scalable architecture optimized for Size, Weight, Power, and Cost (SWaP-C), with sufficie...