Description:
CMC Electronics Cincinnati (CMCEC) is developing a reprogrammable IF-sampling digital transceiver modem to support the next generation of reprogrammable, low-mass and low-power transceivers for future interplanetary missions requiring proximity links.
Previous developments by CMCEC in support of Mars Exploration Program missions include proximity transceivers for the Mars Climate Orbiter, Mars Polar Lander, Mars Odyssey and Mars Exploration Rovers. Within these transceivers, digital processing including the Proximity-1 protocol is implemented in VHDL, permitting reuse and enabling CMCEC to bring this technology forward to a reprogrammable modem.
CMCEC is developing and testing two IF-sampling receivers for space applications. The first is a Factory Reconfigurable S-Band Command Receiver and the second is a Multi-Mode Spread-Spectrum Factory Reconfigurable Receiver. Both of these receivers sample a 70 MHz IF, digitally demodulate and recover received data. All digital signal processing, control and interface functions are implemented in Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) utilizing VHDL, making the designs portable, reusable and reconfigurable.
Additionally, CMCEC and JPL are jointly developing the Mars Electra UHF Proximity Transceiver. The Electra similarly samples a 70 MHz IF, digitally demodulates and recovers data. Electra is a fully software-reprogrammable transceiver implemented with FPGA and microprocessor technology. CMCEC and JPL are leveraging this large base of portable and reconfigurable digital signal-processing technology and Proximity-1 protocol implementation in the development of a Reprogrammable Transceiver Modem.
The Reprogrammable Transceiver Modem provides a very small, low-power transceiver modem solution utilizing advanced digital signal-processing techniques implemented in a RAM-based FPGA and a One-Time Programmable (OTP) FPGA. This modem will be capable of modulating and demodulating standard waveforms including FSK, BPSK, QPSK, CDMA, TDMA and FDMA, as well as other complex modulation schemes. Additionally, the modem will support navigation and radiometric observable techniques including Half-Duplex Navigation, and will interoperate with the Mars In Situ Sensor Web.
For further information, go to A Proximity Microtransceiver for Interoperable Mars Communications. |
