Automated Multi-Frequency Antenna System for Stratospheric Research Balloon Telemetry

Hill Aerospace Museum

Because flight radios must be lightweight, they tend to be low power, thus, the HARBOR team requires line-of-sight antenna tracking for data collection and interfacing capabilities. This new system provides automated tracking of the near-spacecraft during the entire flight. The previous system required visual contact with the flight package to allow manual pointing of the antenna. Difficult in the best of situations, manual tracking completely fails when there is cloud cover.