bistatic radar receiver for cubesats: the rax...
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Bistatic Radar Receiver for CubeSats:The RAX Payload
John BuonocoreHasan Bahcivan
SRI International
SRI Proprietary
7th Annual CubeSat Developer’s Workshop22 April 2010
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Mission High-resolution Mapping of Auroral Ionospheric Irregularities
Payload UHF Radar Receiver
Transmitter Ground-based MW-Class IS Radar
Support NSF CubeSat Program (NSF08-549)
Selected September 2008
Delivered February 2010
Launch TBD 2010 , DoD Minotaur-4 from KLC
Orbit 650 km circular, 72 deg. inclination
Lifetime 1 year primary + 5 year secondary
RAX Mission Overview
RAX Experiment Description
Radio aurora backscatter cones
RAX Receiver
Incoherent Scatter Radar (ISR)
• RAX is bistatic - Receiver located far from Transmitter
• Maps irregularities with high spatial & angular resolution
• Ground-based ISR also measures background plasma state & E-Field
Poker Flat Advanced ModularIncoherent Scatter Radar (Alaska)
Irregularities
RAX Compatibility with Global ISRs
Name Loc Lat
Alaska 78
81
62
53
34
75
Canada
AlaskaMassachusetts
Puerto Rico
Norway
Freq.MHz MW
Beamwidth
PFISR 449 2.0 1º
RISR* 442 2.0 1º
MUIR 446 0.25 10º
MHO 440 2.5 0.6º
Arecibo 430 2.5 0.2º
ESR 500 1.0 0.6º
PFISR
MHO
AreciboESR
Challenges for RAX Radar Receiver Design
Traditional (monostatic) Radar
• Synchronizes TX pulses with RX range gate timing• Shares local oscillator (LO) with TX and RX subsystems
Bistatic Radar
• Requires accurate independent synchronization scheme• Requires LO stability - especially during ISR flyover
Additional Requirements (in addition to CubeSat SWAP)
• Quick recovery from direct-path ISR illumination• Extremely large dynamic range• Immunity from bus-generated EMI (shared COMMS antenna)• Efficient dissipation of thermal loads• Avoidance of radiation sensitive components • Tunability, gain control, housekeeping status
Synchronization Scheme
GPS Based
• Receiver
Sample clock is allowed to free-runReceiver samples I & Q data at 1 MHzSamples time-stamped via onboard GPS PPS
• TransmitterTiming standard is free-running Time-stamp first TX pulse to GPS timeTime and drift values sent to spacecraft
Overflow Based
Direct-path TX signal saturates receiver every secondRecord ADC overflow bit on satelliteTX signal time-stamp and drift values sent to spacecraft
Frequency Stability Considerations
• Transmitter and Receiver oscillators are free-running
• Short-term stability is very good
• A small frequency offset between TX and RX is okay
• Measure TX signal offset using Receiver
• Primarily Analog Industrial Components• Pulse (>2μS) or CW operation• 426 – 510 MHz (1 MHz steps)• 4-bands• Adjustable Gain• Internal Voltage Regulation• Continuous Sampling at 14-bit Resolution• In-phase and Quadrature (I/Q) Signals• Internal 500 MHz Calibration Source
DC/CTLRF(CLK)RF(LO)
SHIELDEDENCLOSURE
LO BOARD
I/Q RX BOARD
BOARD STACKUP
POWER/DATA/CONTROLANT INPUT(SMA)
DC/CTL
(50-pin MDR)
PWR CONV BOARD
RF(CAL)
RAX Payload Receiver
• Provides EMI Shield • Thermally Dissipative • 9.7cm x 9.7cm x 3.6cm• Weight 320 g• Power 2.6 W
Enclosure
CalibrationInternal 500 MHz source
PreselectorSAW Bandpass Filters4 Bands:
426 – 434 MHz437 – 445 MHz443 – 452 MHz483 – 510 MHz
Gain-4 to +58 dB (2 dB steps)
MixerActive – I & Q outputsHigh Dynamic Range2X LO input
I/Q FilterPassive LC, 250 kHz BW10-pole Bessel function
ADCDual Interleaved I/Q14-Bit, 1 MHz Sampling
I/Q Receiver Board
500 MHzCal Signal
I/Q Output
1 MHz Clock
RF Input
I2C
BAND GAIN LO Input
10 MHz Clock
Homodyne Design -Direct Conversion (No IF)
PCB4-layer
FR-4 constructionThermal Transfer Perimeter
8.6cm x 8.6cm
Over Flow
I/Q Receiver Performance
Noise figure 3.8 dB (400° K)
Noise Floor -114 dBm
Gain Range -4 dB to +58 dB
Single Frequency Dynamic Range
(DR)60 dB
Dual Frequency Spurious Free DR 54 dB
LO Radiation < -80 dBm
Max RF Input(no damage)
+20 dBm
Max Recovery Time 30 μS
Recovery to 1 dB
10 μS
I/Q Receiver Selectivity
10 MHz Reference OscillatorTCXODigital compensation ±0.28 ppm, -40C to +85CStabilization time ~200 sec. (cold start)I2C monitor for crystal tempI2C control for freq push/pull (1ppb or 0.01Hz)
ADC ClockBuffered 10 MHz from TCXOConversion to sinewave to reduce EMI
Mixer Local OscillatorPhase-locked system852 - 1020 MHz 2 MHz control resolution
Cal Oscillator500 MHz – free runningI2C on/off control
Local Oscillator Board
PCB4-layer
FR-4 constructionThermal Transfer Perimeter
7.6cm x 7.6cm
Freq Select
I2C
500 MHzCal Signal
10 MHz ADC Clock
LO Outputto Mixer
PWM DC/DC Buck RegulatorsHigh efficiency (>90%)Wide input range (3 -17V)Regulated outputs: +5V, +3VIntegrated design – low radiated EMI
LC Filtering on Input and Outputs
Voltage and Temperature Monitoring
ShieldingContinuous external ground planeCompartment in housing
Power Converter Board
PCB2-layer
FR-4 constructionThermal Transfer Perimeter
8.6cm x 8.6cm
I2C
7.5 V Input
5 V Out
3 V Out
Equipment14L Enclosure with 0.6 T Pump10cm X 10cm liquid coolant thermal Plate Temperature range (-60C to +60C)
SetupRAX Receiver in 1U Pumpkin frameMultiple thermal sensors
ProcedureBaseline receiver operationRX OFF: Cold-soak @ -40C for 30 minRX ON: Start logging dataTemperature ramp-up (240 min. to +55C)Post-test operational check
ResultsTCXO drift <0.24 ppm (spec: +/-0.28ppm)PLL maintained lockRF gain variation ± 1.5 dBInternal DC voltages stable
Temperature Cycling in (Moderate) Vacuum
RAX Payload Receiver Thermal Testing 1-27-10Internal/External Temperatures and TCXO Drift vs. Time
-60
-50
-40
-30
-20
-10
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
1 21 41 61 81 101 121 141 161 181 201 221
Time (mins)
Tem
pera
ture
(deg
C)
999999.7
999999.75
999999.8
999999.85
999999.9
999999.95
1000000
1000000.05
TCXO
Fre
quen
cy (H
z) Temp RF PCB (deg C)Temp PLL PCB (deg C)Temp PS PCB (deg C)Temp TCXO (deg C)Frame Temp. RTD (deg C)Bottom Plate Temp (deg C)1MHz TCXO Freq (Hz)
Crystal Oscillator Thermal Response
RAX Payload Receiver Thermal Testing - 1/27/10Internal Temperature and Voltage Monitoring vs. Time
-50
-40
-30
-20
-10
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
1 16 31 46 61 76 91 106 121 136 151 166 181 196 211 226
Time (mins)
Tem
pera
ture
(deg
C)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Volta
ge (V
)
RF PCB (Deg C)
PLL PCB (Deg C)
PS PCB (Deg C)
TCXO (Deg C)
7.5V bus (V)
5V bus (V)
3V bus (V)
Board-Level Thermal Response
Pre-Test Sine-SweepBaseline all resonancesRange: 20-2000 Hz @ 0.5GRate: 3 Oct/Min One sweep per axis
Random Vibration Test20-2000 Hz 10.4 G rms1 minute/axis
Post-Test Sine-SweepSame as pre-testCompare pre/post resonances
ResultsNo change in resonancesPass - Visual inspectionPass - Post electrical tests
Vibration Testing
Radar SimulatorGenerates radar direct and scattered signalsVariable timing (Pulse Width, IPP)Adjustable transmit frequency
Payload Interface Module (PIM) SimulatorDirect interface to payload receiverSupplies power and control to payloadCollects and stores I & Q samples
Integrated Testing with Cubesat BUSPIM interface Antenna InterfaceI2C checkoutFull-up EMI validation
Functional Testing
TX1 (Direct)
TX2 (Scattered)
RF PULSEAMPLITUDE
AT ANTENNA INPUT
INTER-PULSE PERIOD (IPP)
RF SWITCH
TX1
TX2
RAX Science Planning at 2010 NSF CEDAR WorkshopFuture Applications
• Antenna pattern measurements for large GB Radars• Other bistatic radar experiments in the UHF band• Global UHF LEO Noise Survey
Ongoing life tests• 11-week (24/7) operational burn-in• No failures
Future design modifications• Investigate Digital down-converters• Lower-power techniques• Lighter materials• Integrate PIM Functions within Structure• Explore PnP Capabilities
The Path Ahead