Low-cost TDRSS communications for NASA´s long duration balloon project

Author

Israel, David J.

Volume

8

Issue

2

fYear

1993

Firstpage

43

Lastpage

47

Abstract

A transponder and RF ground support equipment that are making tracking and data relay satellite system (TDRSS) communications available to lower budget NASA projects are discussed. The Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)/Wallops Flight Facility´s long duration balloon project (LDBP) will be the first to take advantage of this TDRSS user hardware for communications through the TDRSS S-band multiple access system during their around-the-world scientific balloon flight campaigns. The transponder is one tenth the cost of the current generation space-qualified transponder, and the TDRSS user RF test set (TURFTS) is less than one half the cost of the currently available transponder test equipment.<>

Keywords

automatic test equipment; balloons; data communication systems; economics; electronic equipment testing; ground support equipment; microwave links; multi-access systems; satellite relay systems; tracking systems; transponders; Goddard Space Flight Center; NASA; RF ground support equipment; RF test set; S-band multiple access system; TDRSS communications; Wallops Flight Facility; cost; data relay satellite system; long duration balloon project; scientific balloon flight; tracking; transponder; Artificial satellites; Costs; Ground support; Hardware; NASA; Radio frequency; Relays; Test equipment; Testing; Transponders;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0885-8985

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/62.193030

Filename

193030