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Space Agency (space + agency)
Selected AbstractsRelay communications for Mars explorationINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS AND NETWORKING, Issue 2 2007Charles D. Edwards Telecommunication is an essential and challenging aspect of planetary exploration. For Mars landers, the constraints of mass, volume, power and energy typically limit their communications capabilities on the long-distance link back to Earth. By deploying relay spacecraft in Martian orbit, these landers can achieve much greater data return and can obtain contact opportunities at times when Earth is not in view. Currently, both NASA and European Space Agency (ESA) have pursued this strategy, deploying relay payloads on their Mars science orbiters. This relay infrastructure has significantly benefited the science return from the 2003 Mars Exploration Rovers and is poised to support the Phoenix Lander and Mars Science Laboratory missions later this decade. Longer-term plans call for continued growth in relay capability, greatly increasing data return from the Martian surface to enable exciting new Mars exploration concepts and advance our understanding of our planetary neighbour. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Design, implementation and verification through a real-time test-bed of a multi-rate CDMA adaptive interference mitigation receiver for satellite communicationINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS AND NETWORKING, Issue 1 2003Luca Fanucci Abstract This paper presents the design, the implementation, and the main performance results of a multi-rate code division multiple access (CDMA) interference mitigation receiver for satellite communication. Such activity was performed within a research project supported by the European Space Agency (ESA), whose aim was to demonstrate the suitability of the linear adaptive interference mitigation detector (IMD) named extended complex-valued blind anchored interference-mitigating detector (EC-BAID) for single-user detection of a CDMA signal in third-generation (3G) satellite networks. Such a detector, which exhibits a remarkable robustness to multiple access interference, operates in a blind mode, i.e. it only requires knowledge of the timing of the wanted user's signature code, and is therefore very well suited for integration into handheld user terminals. Experimental results in terms of bit error rate with respect to the theoretical behaviour were derived through a specifically developed test bed. Signal plus multiple access interference generation is performed via a computer-controlled arbitrary waveform generator, followed by frequency up-conversion to the standard intermediate frequency of 70 MHz. Additive white Gaussian noise is then injected with the aid of a precision noise generator. The core of the test bed is a flexible digital receiver prototype featuring the EC-BAID detector plus all functions ancillary to IMD (multi-rate front-end, automatic gain control, code acquisition and tracking, carrier synchronization, etc.). Those functions were implemented through careful mixing of different technologies: field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) for computing-intensive signal processing functions, digital signal processor (DSP) for housekeeping and monitoring, and application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for adaptive IMD. The adopted design flow also allows an easy re-use of the prototype architecture to come to an overall integration of the receiver into a single ASIC with modest complexity and power consumption increase with respect to a conventional detector. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Multimedia satellite communications experiments to the international space stationINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS AND NETWORKING, Issue 5 2002Carlo Matarasso Abstract In the present concept of the International Space Station ISS, it is planned to provide the communication services between the European Columbus module of the ISS and the ground equipment via the TDRS (tracking and data relay satellite) network provided by the American NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Agency). Especially because of its low uplink data rate, an unacceptable limitation of the communication services with Columbus is to be expected. In order to investigate possible improvements to this situation, the MEDIS proposal studies the feasibility of a 150 Mbps full duplex communication system to the Columbus Module on via two MEO satellites. A mixed topology with optical inter satellite links and Ka-band up/down-links shall be employed. Also possible liaisons with the Artemis mission will be considered. The MEDIS project is a collaboration of Astrium GmbH, which is project manager, Bosch SatCom, GMD-Fokus and the German Aerospace Center (DLR). The preparation phase of the project will investigate the concept of the communications infrastructure and the experiments that could be realized when the MEOs are launched. This stage has been completed in February 2001. An additional study phase followed, which will be completed with a presentation in July 2002. Briefly the following aspects have been studied by DLR in the preparation phase: the overall concept of experimental communication services for Columbus, the system requirements and network topology, the relevant protocol and hardware architectures, useful satellite constellations and link scenarios. Two phases could follow the preparation phase, in phase one the satellite will be launched and the link will be tested. In phase two the satellites will be connected to the ISS. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Data collection from the Antarctic region through a W-band low Earth orbit satelliteINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS AND NETWORKING, Issue 4 2001Marina Ruggieri Abstract The DAVID (DAta and Video Interactive Distribution) mission is being carried out in the framework of the Science Small Missions Program of the Italian Space Agency. The mission is aimed at the deployment of two scientific telecommunication experiments through a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite. The paper will focus on one of these experiments, that will test a satellite system architecture for the exchange of a large amount of data and high definition images through a W-band link and a Ka-band inter-satellite link between the LEO and the ARTEMIS satellite. The proposed architecture, that will explore various innovative aspects, will also allow for the first time the distribution of large volumes of scientific data collected from the Antarctic region and other extremely remote areas of the Earth. The availability of a return link in the envisaged system will also allow interactive control of the various laboratories located in the remote sites. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Autonomous capture of a tumbling satelliteJOURNAL OF FIELD ROBOTICS (FORMERLY JOURNAL OF ROBOTIC SYSTEMS), Issue 4 2007Ioannis Rekleitis In this paper, we describe a framework for the autonomous capture and servicing of satellites. The work is based on laboratory experiments that illustrate the autonomy and remote-operation aspects. The satellite-capture problem is representative of most on-orbit robotic manipulation tasks where the environment is known and structured, but it is dynamic since the satellite to be captured is in free flight. Bandwidth limitations and communication dropouts dominate the quality of the communication link. The satellite-servicing scenario is implemented on a robotic test-bed in laboratory settings. The communication aspects were validated in transatlantic tests. © 2007 Canadian Space Agency [source] OU to play role in next stage of Mars explorationASTRONOMY & GEOPHYSICS, Issue 5 2010Article first published online: 17 SEP 2010 NASA and the European Space Agency have embarked on a joint programme to study the chemical composition of the atmosphere of Mars from 2016. They have just announced the providers of five scientific instruments for the first mission, including two consortia in which the Open University has a major role. [source] Interview: David Willetts MPASTRONOMY & GEOPHYSICS, Issue 5 2010Article first published online: 17 SEP 2010 The Minister of State for Universities and Science talks to Lucie Green of Mullard Space Science Laboratory about the new UK Space Agency. [source] Venus: Not evil, jus t a bit unfortunateASTRONOMY & GEOPHYSICS, Issue 1 2010Prof. FW Taylor The Venus Express mission, currently orbiting Earth's nearest planetary neighbour, has just had its mission extended until the end of 2012 by the European Space Agency (ESA). In December 2010 it will be joined by the Japanese Venus Climate Orbiter, which has similar goals of understanding the atmosphere and climate. In this article Fred Taylor looks at what has been learned so far and what remains mysterious about our nearby twin, with its torrid weather and its global warming issues. [source] Does the UK need a Space Agency?ASTRONOMY & GEOPHYSICS, Issue 1 2009Ian Crawford Ian Crawford argues that we need a Space Agency in order to benefit from participation in global space exploration. [source] | ||||||||||