Performance analysis of LAPAN-A3 data acquisition using X-band receiver at Rancabungur ground station

Abstract

As an experimental remote sensing microsatellite, LAPAN-A3/IPB satellite mission produces at least 10 GB payload data daily, mainly comes from multispectral imager payload with the addition of digital matrix imager, Automatic Identification System (AIS) and scientific earth magnetometer. To improve the satellite data reception capability, LAPAN had already installed dual X-band and S-band receiver on Rancabungur ground station. This research aims to analyze the performance of LAPAN-A3 payload data reception by using X-band receiver from Rancabungur ground station. The assessment consists of determining daily payload data transmission capability and realtime multispectral image acquisition performance, as well as distortion occurs on the received data caused by signal interferences. Based on the first four months of the X-band receiver operation, it is found that the receiver has similar data reception performance compare to the X-band receiver on Kongsberg ground station currently leased for LAPAN-A3 operation, i.e. receiving about 7 GB payload data in high elevation satellite pass. The X-band receiver could also receive realtime multispectral image acquisition when the satellite passes western part of Indonesia in the morning, producing up to 10 GB of multispectral image in single satellite pass. However, the data reception performance often degraded by signal interferences from ground station neighborhood, both quantitative and qualitatively. Based on these performances, a better LAPAN-A3 satellite mission planning can be developed and systematic interferences detection can be done based on the received data. This allows LAPAN-A3 satellite to produce more payload data with better quality.