Session
Technical Poster Session 4
Location
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Abstract
The Grissom-1 mission (GM1), slated to launch in September 2022, is the first in a series of 6-Unit CubeSat satellites built and operated by the Air Force Institute of Technology’s (AFIT’s) Center for Space Research and Assurance (CSRA). Mission success for GM1 depends on a comprehensive campaign of testing and assessment to confirm the components, design, and assembly of all systems and subsystems within the satellite. This paper specifically focuses on the testing and analysis of all communication links between the spacecraft, the ground system, and the Satellite Operations Center (SOC) being hosted at the Air Force Instituteof Technology at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Additionally, the paper will cover the potential for future missions for the GM1 based off the analysis of the current link. Specific to the GM1, analysis is performed on the spacecraft’s Cadet Plus software-defined radio (SDR), as developed by the Space Dynamics Laboratory, and its communication capabilities with the Mobile CubeSat Command and Control (MC3) network, the National Instruments USRP-2292 ground station SDR, and COSMOS Command and Control (C2) software. Testing and assessment occurred in both lab settings and simulated operational scenarios. This paper includes characterization of individual components, anechoic chamber downlink and uplink signal measurements and results, link margin calculations, plus direct point-to-point testing results. Experimental data describing the results of each test using the local instance of an MC3 ground station software. The research culminates in a full characterization of the Cadet Plus SDR, an analysis of the GM1 to MC3 communication interaction, and any limitations revealed as attributable to the 6U spacecraft.
Test and Evaluation of GRISSOM-1 CubeSat Communication Subsystem
Utah State University, Logan, UT
The Grissom-1 mission (GM1), slated to launch in September 2022, is the first in a series of 6-Unit CubeSat satellites built and operated by the Air Force Institute of Technology’s (AFIT’s) Center for Space Research and Assurance (CSRA). Mission success for GM1 depends on a comprehensive campaign of testing and assessment to confirm the components, design, and assembly of all systems and subsystems within the satellite. This paper specifically focuses on the testing and analysis of all communication links between the spacecraft, the ground system, and the Satellite Operations Center (SOC) being hosted at the Air Force Instituteof Technology at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Additionally, the paper will cover the potential for future missions for the GM1 based off the analysis of the current link. Specific to the GM1, analysis is performed on the spacecraft’s Cadet Plus software-defined radio (SDR), as developed by the Space Dynamics Laboratory, and its communication capabilities with the Mobile CubeSat Command and Control (MC3) network, the National Instruments USRP-2292 ground station SDR, and COSMOS Command and Control (C2) software. Testing and assessment occurred in both lab settings and simulated operational scenarios. This paper includes characterization of individual components, anechoic chamber downlink and uplink signal measurements and results, link margin calculations, plus direct point-to-point testing results. Experimental data describing the results of each test using the local instance of an MC3 ground station software. The research culminates in a full characterization of the Cadet Plus SDR, an analysis of the GM1 to MC3 communication interaction, and any limitations revealed as attributable to the 6U spacecraft.
