High Rate Telemetry

Space Lab® has extensive experience in the current leading technologies for end-to-end range telemetry; this includes communication from payload to ground and vice versa.  We have experience in the following:

• Link Analysis
• Antenna Analysis and Development
• RF Systems Design
• Flight System Instrumentation
• FPGA Design and Digital Interfaces
• Solid State Recording
• High Data Rate Digital Systems

Space Lab® has conducted a feasibility study for sounding rocket high data rate telemetry and discovered that rates greater than 100 Mbps are possible with the current NASA sounding rocket S-band frequency allocation.  The Space Lab® proposed High Rate Telemetry (HRTM™) system provides:

• Up to 400 Mbps downlink using allotted S-band
• Simultaneous multi-gigabit on-board recording
• Built-in TM test suite for experimenter on-site integration
• In-flight timestamping
• > 1 Gbps downlink if C-band used

Space Lab® is currently investigating funding opportunities for the proposed HRTM™ system.

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Currently in the Development Spotlight...

Perseus Processing Unit (PPU)
The Perseus Processing Unit (PPU) is the central processing system in all of Space Lab's systems, providing the principal digital interface and control center for all applications.  The PPU includes a mezzanine interface that functions as the power and data backplane for additional modules that allow for custom interfaces and functionality.  Engineering units and flight units are available.  Example applications include:

• Control System
• High Data Rate Downlink (Ares module)
• High Data Rate Recording (Sirius module)
• Data Acquisition and Processing

High level interface diagram of the Perseus Processing Unit (PPU).

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