Payload digital processor hardware demonstrator for satellite communications systems

Satellite communication payloads for mobile communications systems require advanced digital signal processing and narrowband beamforming techniques to meet the traffic routing flexibility. The paper describes the key functions of a narrowband digital beamforming processor and summarises key aspects of development work performed at Marconi Space to demonstrate the feasibility of such a flight processor. This includes relevant ASIC designs to validate key processing algorithms, multichip modules (MCMs) to demonstrate high density packaging techniques and a flight model demonstrator to demonstrate a representative narrowband processor using the ASICs and MCMs