ONE-STOP TMTC SDR-BASED SOLUTION
The Quasar -STRX is our next generation telecommand/ telemetry transceiver for Smallsats and CubeSats. The transceiver is based on popular industry standard SDR and processing components that have many years’ flight heritage. The Quasar-STRX is part of a family of co-developed satellite communication products that provide different options for TMTC subsystem design.
Quasar-STRX is the core of an end-to-end S-band TMTC solution that also include the Quasar-WSANT, a compact wideband S-band patch antenna covering both receive and transmit channels, and a diplexer. All designed for optimal heat transfer from components to enclosure.
Avoid systems integration challenges and costly project delays with our one-stop solution. Compatible with common ground station communications protocols. It is capable of transmitting QPSK and OQPSK at up to 5 Msymbols per second, RS+CC channel coding and receiving BPSK 64 kSps to 2 MSps, BCH channel coding. This solution is compatible with standard satellite ground station TMTC modems.
The compact, wideband antenna removes the need for two separate antennas for up- and downlink paths and the diplexer option enables improved band-isolation.
This solution is compatible with Bright Ascension Flight Software suite used on AAC Clyde Space spacecraft.
Flexibility
The transceiver consists of an assembly of AAC Clyde Space’s SDR module and an RF Front End (RFFE) module with band-specific transmit and receive lineups. The two modules are independent and separable to facilitate flexible mounting configurations.
Performance
Designed using flight proven heritage solutions incorporating our latest innovations. This market leading solution is not only able to transmit and receive at impressive rates but packs a punch with its compatibility.
Reliability
Compact, with extremely durable connectors. It uses Harwin Gecko connectors for power and digital; SMP connectors for RF. The transceiver line-up has flight heritage. Fault tolerant circuits and software to assist recovery from single event upsets and ensure resilience against ionising radiation will be implemented in future versions..
Why QUASAR-STRX?
| General | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Temperature | -25°C to +60°C | ||
| Mass | 270 g | ||
| Control and data interfaces | CAN | SPI | I2C |
| Power Consumption | 3.5 W receive mode (always on) | ||
| RF interface | 50 Ω SMP | ||
| Radiation tolerance | TBC | ||
| Design Life | 3-5 years | ||
| Transmitter | ||
|---|---|---|
| Frequency band | 2.200 - 2.290 GHz | |
| RF output power | -10 to 33 dBm in 0.25 dB step | |
| Spurious responses | <-30 dBc | |
| Frequency stability | ±1 ppm | |
| Modulation schemes | Filtered (O)QPSK (CCSDS) | |
| Pulse shaping filter | Root raised cosine | roll-off 0.2 to 0.5 |
| Symbol rate | Up to 5 MSps | |
| Data link protocol | TM Synchronization and Channel Coding (CCSDS 131.0-B-3) | TM Space Data Link Protocol (CCSDS 132.0 B 3) |
| Channel coding | Convolutional/Reed-Solomon/Concatenated | |
| Mechanical Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Length | 96 mm |
| Width | 90 mm |
| Height including enclosure | 23 mm |
| Receiver | ||
|---|---|---|
| Frequency band | 2.025 - 2.110 GHz | |
| Symbol rate | 64 kSpS to 2 MSps | |
| Sensitivity | -150 + 10*log(symbol rate) dBm (TBC) | |
| Noise figure | <2 dB | |
| Dynamic range | Sensitivity level to -30 dBm (TBC) | |
| Frequency stability | ±1 ppm (TBC) | |
| Power consumption | 0.5 W (TBC) | |
| Doppler | ±150 kHz sweep range (TBC) | Slope 750 Hz/s (TBC) |
| Carrier tracking pull-in range | ± Symbol rate ÷ 4 | |
| Carrier lock tracking | ±150 kHz | |
| Modulation schemes | Filtered BPSK (CCSDS) | |
| Pulse shaping filter | Root raised cosine | roll-off 0.35 |
| Data link protocol | TC Synchronization and Channel Coding (CCSDS 231.0-B-4) | TC Space Data Link Protocol (CCSDS 232.0 B 4) |
| Channel coding | BCH | |
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