A Ka-Band Receiver Front-End With Noise Injection Calibration Circuit for CubeSats Inter-Satellite Links

Federico Alimenti,Valentina Palazzi,Mario Fragiacomo,Paolo Mezzanotte,Raffaele Salvati,Anna Gregorio,Luca Roselli,Federico Dogo,Simone Pauletto,Giordano Cicioni,Guendalina Simoncini

doi:10.1109/access.2020.3000675

Federico Alimenti, Valentina Palazzi + Show 9 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2020.3000675

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Abstract

This paper proposes a Ka-band receiver front-end for future CubeSats Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) to Geostationary (GEO) inter-satellite links. The receiver is able to support very high data rates (up to 100 Mbit/s) in Quadrature Phase-Shift Keying (QPSK) when in the line of sight of a GEO satellite that is equipped with a steerable 70-cm antenna and transmitting a 25-W signal. The originality of the proposed approach is twofold. First we will demonstrate the receiver feasibility based on a class of miniaturized and low-cost microwave integrated circuits, currently available on the market. In particular, our receiver is based on a novel combination of integrated Low-Noise Amplifiers (LNA) with an image rejection filter, the latter exploiting the Substrate Integrated Waveguide (SIW) technology. An optimization of the via placement proved to be able to reduce the need for shielding apparatuses, thus simplifying the mechanics and reducing mass, volume and hardware costs. Secondly, we will propose a noise injection circuit capable of measuring and calibrating the receiver gain, also during in-orbit operation. Self testing capabilities are particularly relevant for CubeSats because the usage of commercial components poses serious reliability issues.

Highlights

In these years satellite launches have been increased, due to easier access to space and to the development of cheaper hardware
The present analysis focuses on the Substrate Integrated Waveguide (SIW) technology
In the years the space community is planning to exploit the existing Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) network based on Geosynchronous Equatorial Orbit (GEO) satellites to facilitate the communication between Earth and small Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites

Summary

INTRODUCTION

In these years satellite launches have been increased, due to easier access to space and to the development of cheaper hardware. The breadboard, that uses Components Off The Shelf (COTS) and custom developed Printed Circuit Boards (PCB), is characterized by an overall 80 dB gain, a 2.8 dB noise figure and a −37 dBm input-referred 1 dB compression point The importance of these results is that they have been obtained exploiting a class of miniaturized and low-cost microwave integrated circuits currently available on the market, opening the way to a dense communication infrastructure for CubeSat LEO to GEO inter-satellite links. This infrastructure could be used for commercial applications and for future exploration missions [28], [29]. Analysis of the in-orbit receiver gain self test sub-system: for the first time an avalanche noise diode circuit model is combined with the 2-ports scattering matrix of an attenuator to simulate the whole sub-system performance (not just that of the noise diode alone)

MISSION SCENARIO

GAIN CALIBRATION CIRCUITRY DESIGN

LNA DESIGN

GROUND VIA SPACING

RESULTS

CONCLUSION