Receive Sensitivity Characterization of the PolySat Satellite Communication System

• Main Author: Bland, Ivan M
• Format: Others
• Published: DigitalCommons@CalPoly 2010
• Subjects: receive sensitivity; CubeSat; PolySat; Cal Poly; satellite; Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/265; https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1278&context=theses

Following the successful launch of CP3 and CP4, the PolySat team noticed an unreliable uplink to both satellites. A significant problem with the PolySat COMM system is poor receive sensitivity of the communications system. Efforts have been made to improve the uplink margin, but without proper characterization of the receiver sensitivity, the problem cannot be fully addressed. By developing an accurate method of measuring receive sensitivity, a methodical approach can be used to properly diagnose the communication system and link budget. Two revisions of the PolySat COMM system will be measured and compared. An in-depth study of the PolySat COMM system will be performed, providing an interesting look at possible causes of the inconsistent uplink and methods of improving the COMM system. For future bus development, this test setup can be used to accurately measure the receive sensitivity.