Programmable Satellite Transceiver (PST) for Dual Band Command and Control

Ground-based transmitters/receivers used for satellite telemetry, command, and range communications have leveraged FPGA-based digital signal processing technology to support multiple waveforms. Technology advances have allowed this equipment to become programmable. An integrated satellite operations concept requires similar advances for the satellite's on-board transceiver. FPGA technology has become "flight-ready" by virtue of configuration scrubbing, periodic reloading, and triple-modular redundancy techniques to overcome single event radiation effects. The ability to implement multiple waveform processing algorithms in on-board FPGAs supports the goal of a programmable satellite transceiver. Direct conversion RF techniques and high speed analog conversion technology allow SGLS and USB waveform processsing to be done with digital signal processing techniques in FPGAs. An S/L Band I/Q Modulator/Demodulator offers a novel technique for DSP-based processing of telemetry and command links. Benefits include modularization, direct conversion of RF to samples and samples to RF, low power, and a small form factor. These technologies enable the design and development of a programmable space transceiver (PST). This SBIR proposal develops a specification for a PST, constructs a prototype, conducts performance and engineering analyses, and develops a top-level design for a demonstration unit that would be produced in Phase II.