This paper describes a reconfigurable hardware architecture which has been developed for SmallSat applications which require a reduction in radio frequency (RF) electronics hardware volume, cost and delivery time while maintaining or improving performance and reliability. The novel aspect of this architecture is that it enables complex and customized RF modules to shift into a more commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) product domain for SmallSat system designers. An overview of the architecture will be presented as will a module design methodology which includes mechanical, thermal and RF design steps that couple to one another in order to make this architecture robust and agile. This architecture was developed to enable small spacecraft missions to treat their complex RF subsystem hardware more as off-the-shelf products rather than highly customized hardware without giving up performance and still having the flexibility of customizing the overall subsystem functionality. A Ka-band dual-channel converter example design will also be presented in this paper. This design will include two local oscillator slices and a converter slice which will aid to show the architecture in application.
Miniaturized and Reconfigurable RF Electronics Architecture for SmallSat Applications
2020-03-01
4741725 byte
Conference paper
Electronic Resource
English
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