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At least 199 records · Page 11

Tracking performance of unbalanced QPSK demodulators. I - Biphase Costas loop with passive arm filters

Unbalanced quadriphase-shift-keying (QPSK) is an attractive means for transmitting two digital data streams which in general have different average powers, data rates, and data formats. Previous analyses of the tracking performance of Costas loop demodulators of unbalanced QPSK have accounted only for the filtering effect produced by the loop's two arm filters on the equivalent additive noise perturbing the loop. When the bandwidth of these filters is selected on the basis of the order of the data rate, as is typical of optimum Costas loop design, the filtering degradations of the data modulations themselves and the cross-modulation noise produced by their multiplication in the loop often cannot be neglected. The purpose of this paper is to incorporate these additional filtering effects into the analysis. Many of the results obtained herein are in the form of closed-form expressions which can easily be evaluated numerically for design and performance prediction purposes.

Simon, M. K.↗

Advances in Ka-Band Communication System for CubeSats and SmallSats

A study was performed that evaluated the feasibility of Ka-band communication system to provide CubeSat/SmallSat high rate science data downlink with ground antennas ranging from the small portable 1.2m/2.4m to apertures 5.4M, 7.3M, 11M, and 18M, for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to Lunar CubeSat missions. This study included link analysis to determine the data rate requirement, based on the current TRL of Ka-band flight hardware and ground support infrastructure. Recent advances in Ka-band transceivers and antennas, options of portable ground stations, and various coverage distances were included in the analysis. The link/coverage analysis results show that Cubesat/Smallsat missions communication requirements including frequencies and data rates can be met by utilizing Near Earth Network (NEN) Ka-band support with 2 W and high gain (>6 dBi) antennas.

Spacecraft RF Communication↗

Collisional excitation of CO by H2O - An astrophysicist's guide to obtaining rate constants from coherent anti-Stokes Raman line shape data

Rate constants for excitation of CO by collisions with H2O are needed to understand recent observations of comet spectra. These collision rates are closely related to spectral line shape parameters, especially those for Raman Q-branch spectra. Because such spectra have become quite important for thermometry applications, much effort has been invested in understanding this process. Although it is not generally possible to extract state-to-state rate constants directly from the data as there are too many unknowns, if the matrix of state-to-state rates can be expressed in terms of a rate-law model which depends only on rotational quantum numbers plus a few parameters, the parameters can be determined from the data; this has been done with some success for many systems, especially those relevant to combustion processes. Although such an analysis has not yet been done for CO-H2O, this system is expected to behave similarly to N2-H2O which has been well studies; modifications of parameters for the latter system are suggested which should provide a reasonable description of rate constants for the former.

Green, Sheldon↗

Helicopter propulsion system reliability and engine monitoring assessments

The major short life, unreliable, and high maintenance engine and power components and subsystems in current civil helicopters were identified. Categories included both reciprocating and turbine engines, single and multiple engine configurations, single and tandem trotor vehicles, and light, medium, and heavy helicopters. The major focus was on the following parameters: accident rate data; maintenance rate data; and direct operator input.

Murphy, J. A.↗

DSN acquisition of Magellan high-rate telemetry data

The Magellan Project levied the stringent requirement of a 98 percent high-rate telemetry data capture rate on the Deep Space Network (DSN) during the Magellan Prime Mapping Mission. To meet this requirement, the DSN undertook extensive development of the DSN Telemetry System, as well as extensive DSN operation planning and test and training. In actuality, the DSN substantially exceeded the requirement by achieving a Prime Mapping Mission high-rate telemetry data capture rate of 99.14 percent. This article details the DSN telemetry system development, and DSN operations planning and test and training. In addition, the actual high-rate telemetry data outages are comprehensively presented and analyzed.

Berman, A. L.↗

Status of NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communication Technology Demonstration

With NASA funding, the Deep Space Optical Communication (DSOC) Project at JPL is planning a system level technology demonstration of optical communications from deep space. A 22 cm diameter flight laser transceiver (FLT) is being developed for space flight. The FLT will be designed to transmit an average laser power of 4W at 1550 nm and receive a weak 1064 nm laser signal (> 100 femtowatts). Use of the Hale telescope at Palomar Mountain, CA, retrofitted with a photoncounting receiver to detect the downlink from space, is planned. The Optical Communication Telescope Laboratory (OCTL) at Table Mountain, CA will transmit a 1064 nm laser beacon to serve as a pointing reference for the FLT and support low-rate uplink data-rates. The DSOC FLT is part of the baseline payload for the Psyche mission spacecraft recently selected for flight by NASA, providing link demonstration opportunities during the mission cruise phase. Link demonstration opportunities at distances of approximately 0.1 to 2 astronomical units (AU) are expected. The DSOC system is being designed to support downlink data-rates of 0.2 to > 200 Mb/s and uplink data rates of approximately 1.6 kb/s. A status update of DSOC Project activities on flight and ground development will be summarized in this paper.

Biswas, Abhijit↗

A carrier sensed multiple access protocol for high data base rate ring networks

The results of the study of a simple but effective media access protocol for high data rate networks are presented. The protocol is based on the fact that at high data rates networks can contain multiple messages simultaneously over their span, and that in a ring, nodes used to detect the presence of a message arriving from the immediate upstream neighbor. When an incoming signal is detected, the node must either abort or truncate a message it is presently sending. Thus, the protocol with local carrier sensing and multiple access is designated CSMA/RN. The performance of CSMA/RN with TTattempt and truncate is studied using analytic and simulation models. Three performance factors, wait or access time, service time and response or end-to-end travel time are presented. The service time is basically a function of the network rate, it changes by a factor of 1 between no load and full load. Wait time, which is zero for no load, remains small for load factors up to 70 percent of full load. Response time, which adds travel time while on the network to wait and service time, is mainly a function of network length, especially for longer distance networks. Simulation results are shown for CSMA/RN where messages are removed at the destination. A wide range of local and metropolitan area network parameters including variations in message size, network length, and node count are studied. Finally, a scaling factor based upon the ratio of message to network length demonstrates that the results, and hence, the CSMA/RN protocol, are applicable to wide area networks.

Foudriat, E. C.↗

LITE data processing

The Lidar In-space Technology Experiment (LITE) was a payload onboard the Space Shuttle Discovery as part of the September 1994 STS-64 mission. LITE successfully made both atmospheric and surface measurements at the 355 nm, 532 nm, and 1064 nm wavelengths [Winker et al., 1996]. At mission completion, nearly 45 Gbytes of data had been obtained. As the data were collected they were organized into three data sets. The largest of these data sets contained the single-shot full resolution digitized lidar signals for all three wavelengths. The other two data sets contained the instrument status data block (ISDB) and the quick look science data (QLSD). ISDB information was generated once per second and contained timing parameters and engineering data related to the health, status, and configuration of the instrument. The QLSD are 100shot averages of the 355 nm and 532 nm lidar signals and were generated at ten second intervals. As the LITE data were generated, they were output to low-rate and high-rate telemetry streams. The low-rate data contained the ISDB and QLSD. The lowrate data were transmitted to the ground by the Shuttle S-band system through the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS). The high-rate data contained the full resolution digitized lidar signals for all three wavelengths, the ISDB, and QLSD. The high-rate data were transmitted in real time by the Ku-band system through TDRSS downlink to the LITE operations center at the Johnson Space Center (JSC). High-rate data were only obtained when the orbiter and TDRSS telemetry link coincided with the real-time operations of LITE. The low-rate data were backed up by a Shuttle recorder during periods when the telemetry link was unavailable, and the entire lowrate data stream was transferred to the ground over the course of the mission. A total of 53 hours of lowrate data and 45.5 hours of high-rate data were acquired. All of the LITE raw telemetry data have been archived at the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC), and the LITE high-rate data have been processed to the level 1 data product. This paper describes the data processing steps required to convert the LITE raw, high-rate telemetry data to the LITE level 1 data product.

Powell, Kathleen A.↗

High Rate Science Data Handling

Viewgraphs on high rate science data handling are presented. Topics covered include: science needs versus technology; technology assessment; conceptual architecture; and direct downlink concept.

Masline, Richard C.↗

Control structures for high speed processors

A special processor was designed to function as a Reed Solomon decoder with throughput data rate in the Mhz range. This data rate is significantly greater than is possible with conventional digital architectures. To achieve this rate, the processor design includes sequential, pipelined, distributed, and parallel processing. The processor was designed using a high level language register transfer language. The RTL can be used to describe how the different processes are implemented by the hardware. One problem of special interest was the development of dependent processes which are analogous to software subroutines. For greater flexibility, the RTL control structure was implemented in ROM. The special purpose hardware required approximately 1000 SSI and MSI components. The data rate throughput is 2.5 megabits/second. This data rate is achieved through the use of pipelined and distributed processing. This data rate can be compared with 800 kilobits/second in a recently proposed very large scale integration design of a Reed Solomon encoder.

Maki, G. K.↗

Multichannel telemetry system

A two-channel telemetry system is described in which one channel is used for high-rate data and the other channel for low-rate data communication. In the transmitter a signal, which subsequently phase modulates a carrier, is produced which is a function of at least the high-rate data, the low-rate data and the frequency of the subcarrier of the low-rate channel. In the receiver which includes a phase-locked loop, the high-rate data is detected off the receiver inphase channel output and the low-rate off the quadrature channel output.

Butman, S.↗

Human Flight to Lunar and Beyond - Re-Learning Operations Paradigms

For the first time since the Apollo era, NASA is planning on sending astronauts on flights beyond Low-Earth Orbit (LEO). The Human Space Flight (HSF) program started with a successful initial flight in Earth orbit, in December 2014. The program will continue with two Exploration Missions (EM) to Lunar orbit: EM-1 will be unmanned and EM-2, carrying astronauts, will follow. NASA established a multi-center team to address the communications, and related navigation, needs. This paper will focus on the lessons learned in the team, planning for the missions' parts that are beyond Earth orbit. Many of these lessons had to be re-learned, as the HSF program after operated for many years in Earth orbit. Fortunately, the experience base from tracking robotic missions in deep space by the Deep Space Network (DSN) and close interaction with the HSF community to understand the unique needs (e.g. 2-way voice) resulted in a ConOps that leverages of both the deep space robotic and the Human LEO experiences. Several examples will be used to highlight the unique operational needs for HSF missions beyond Earth Orbit, including: - Navigation. At LEO, HSF missions can rely on Global Positioning System (GPS) devices for orbit determination. For Lunar-and-beyond HSF missions, techniques such as precision 2-way and 3-way Doppler and ranging, Delta-Difference-of-range, and eventually on-board navigation will be used. - Impact of latency - the delay associated with Round-Trip-Light-Time (RTLT). Imagine trying to have a 2-way discussion (audio or video) with an astronaut, with a 2-3 sec delay inserted (for Lunar distances) or 20 minutes delay (for Mars distances). - Balanced communications link. For robotic missions, there has been a heavy emphasis on the downlink data rates, bringing back science data from the instruments on-board the spacecraft. Uplink data rates were of secondary importance, used to send commands to the spacecraft. The ratio of downlink-to-uplink data rates was often 10:1 or more. For HSF, rates for uplink and downlink, at least for high-quality video, need to be similar.

Kenny, Ted↗

Ka-Band Parabolic Deployable Antenna (KaPDA) Enabling High Speed Data Communication for CubeSats

CubeSats are at a very exciting point as their mission capabilities and launch opportunities are increasing. But as instruments become more advanced and operational distances between CubeSats and earth increase communication data rate becomes a mission-limiting factor. Improving data rate has become critical enough for NASA to sponsor the Cube Quest Centennial Challenge when: one of the key metrics is transmitting as much data as possible from the moon and beyond Currently, many CubeSats communicate on UHF bands and those that have high data rate abilities use S-band or X-band patch antennas. The CubeSat Aneas, which was launched in September 2012, pushed the envelope with a half-meter S-band dish which could achieve 100x the data rate of patch antennas. A half-meter parabolic antenna operating at Ka-band would increase data rates by over 100x that of the AMOS antenM and 10,000 that of X-band patch antennas.

Sauder, Jonathan F.↗

A sequential decoding performance analysis for International Comet Explorer

The effect of a noisy reference carrier on the performance of International Comet Explorer (ICE) Sequential decoder is analyzed. Ideal reference models for frame deletion probability are given for the Telemetry Processing Assembly (TPA) and the Linkabit (LS4815) sequential decoders. Based on these ideal reference models the deletion probability in the presence of noisy reference carrier is computed for both the high and the low data rate cases. A medium data rate performance model is then derived using an interpolation method. The derived medium rate performance model depends on the phase locked loop bandwidth-integration time product. Results are obtained for frame length 1024 bits, data bit rates of 1024 bps and 512 bps, modulation index of 60 deg, and threshold loop bandwidths of 10 Hz and 3 Hz. The medium rate model agrees with experimental data to within measurement uncertainty. For the 10 Hz loop bandwidth and modulation index of 60 deg at frame deletion rate of 0.0001, the required total received power to noise ratio is 36 dB. The analysis given is general and applicable to any sequential decoder, provided that the ideal reference model of the decoder is available.

Divsalar, D.↗

An algorithm to design a multiple-channel communications system

The authors present a novel algorithm to design a phase-modulated residual carrier communications system for optimum performance. The algorithm has been developed as an aid in the design of two telemetry data channels operating simultaneously with a turn-around ranging signal. The algorithm provides the selection of an optimum subcarrier frequency and modulation indices for minimizing the mutual interferences among the channels to achieve desired link performance margins. The set of modulation indices provided by this algorithm will also achieve an optimum power division between the carrier, the ranging and the high data rate and low data rate channels. Finally, a software program using this algorithm has been developed for use with personal computers. This program provides the computation of the optimum subcarrier frequencies and modulation indices for a standard case that is recommended by the international Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems.

Nguyen, Tien M.↗

The Impact of Traffic Prioritization on Deep Space Network Mission Traffic

A select number of missions supported by NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN) are demanding very high data rates. For example, the Kepler Mission was launched March 7, 2009 and at that time required the highest data rate of any NASA mission, with maximum rates of 4.33 Mb/s being provided via Ka band downlinks. The James Webb Space Telescope will require a maximum 28 Mb/s science downlink data rate also using Ka band links; as of this writing the launch is scheduled for a June 2014 launch. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, launched June 18, 2009, has demonstrated data rates at 100 Mb/s at lunar-Earth distances using NASA's Near Earth Network (NEN) and K-band. As further advances are made in high data rate space telecommunications, particularly with emerging optical systems, it is expected that large surges in demand on the supporting ground systems will ensue. A performance analysis of the impact of high variance in demand has been conducted using our Multi-mission Advanced Communications Hybrid Environment for Test and Evaluation (MACHETE) simulation tool. A comparison is made regarding the incorporation of Quality of Service (QoS) mechanisms and the resulting ground-to-ground Wide Area Network (WAN) bandwidth necessary to meet latency requirements across different user missions. It is shown that substantial reduction in WAN bandwidth may be realized through QoS techniques when low data rate users with low-latency needs are mixed with high data rate users having delay-tolerant traffic.

prioritization↗

The Impact of Traffic Prioritization on Deep Space Network Mission Traffic

A select number of missions supported by NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN) are demanding very high data rates. For example, the Kepler Mission was launched March 7, 2009 and at that time required the highest data rate of any NASA mission, with maximum rates of 4.33 Mb/s being provided via Ka band downlinks. The James Webb Space Telescope will require a maximum 28 Mb/s science downlink data rate also using Ka band links; as of this writing the launch is scheduled for a June 2014 launch. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, launched June 18, 2009, has demonstrated data rates at 100 Mb/s at lunar-Earth distances using NASA's Near Earth Network (NEN) and K-band. As further advances are made in high data rate space telecommunications, particularly with emerging optical systems, it is expected that large surges in demand on the supporting ground systems will ensue. A performance analysis of the impact of high variance in demand has been conducted using our Multi-mission Advanced Communications Hybrid Environment for Test and Evaluation (MACHETE) simulation tool. A comparison is made regarding the incorporation of Quality of Service (QoS) mechanisms and the resulting ground-to-ground Wide Area Network (WAN) bandwidth necessary to meet latency requirements across different user missions. It is shown that substantial reduction in WAN bandwidth may be realized through QoS techniques when low data rate users with low-latency needs are mixed with high data rate users having delay-tolerant traffic.

quality of service↗