Foreword xv
Preface xvii
Acknowledgments xix
Contributors xxiii
Chapter 1 Deep Space Communications: An Introduction 1
by Joseph H. Yuen
1.1 Introduction and Overview 1
1.2 Telecommunications Link Analysis 4
1.2.1 Received Power 4
1.2.2 Noise Spectral Density 5
1.2.3 Carrier Performance Margin 6
1.2.4 Telemetry and Command Performance Margins 6
1.2.5 Ranging Performance Margin 7
1.3 Communications Design Control 8
1.3.1 Design Control Tables 8
1.3.2 Design Procedure and Performance Criterion Selection 9
References 12
Chapter 2 The Deep Space Network: A Functional Description 15
by Jim Taylor
2.1 Uplink and Downlink Carrier Operation 17
2.1.1 The 34-m BWG Stations 17
2.1.2 The 70-m (DSS-14 and DSS-43) Stations 19
2.2 Radiometric Data (Doppler and Ranging) 21
2.3 Delta Differential One-Way Ranging 24
2.4 Command Processing and Radiation 25
2.5 Telemetry Demodulation and Decoding 28
2.6 DSN Performance 31
2.6.1 Antenna Gain 32
2.6.2 Transmitter Power 33
2.6.3 System Noise Temperature 33
2.6.4 Thresholds and Limits 33
References 35
Chapter 3 Voyager Telecommunications 37
by Roger Ludwig and Jim Taylor
3.1 Voyager Interstellar Mission Description 37
3.2 Overview of Telecom Functional Capabilities 44
3.2.1 Uplink 46
3.2.2 Downlink 47
3.3 Spacecraft Telecom System Design 48
3.3.1 Spacecraft Telecom System Overview 48
3.3.2 Modulation Demodulation Subsystem 51
3.3.3 Radio Frequency Subsystem 52
3.3.4 S/X-Band Antenna Subsystem 54
3.3.5 Telecom System Input Power and Mass 55
3.4 Telecom Ground System Description 56
3.4.1 Uplink and Downlink Carrier Operation 57
3.4.2 Command Processing 59
3.4.3 Telemetry Processing 59
3.5 Sample Telecom System Performance 60
3.5.1 Design Control Tables 61
3.5.2 Long-Term Planning Predicts 61
3.6 New Spacecraft and Ground Telecom Technology 64
3.6.1 Spacecraft and Telecom Link Design Compared with Previous Missions 64
3.6.2 Spacecraft Improvements for Uranus and Neptune Encounters 64
3.6.3 Ground System Performance Improvements 65
3.6.4 Ground Display and Operability Improvements 68
3.7 Operational Scenarios of the Voyager Interstellar Mission 69
3.7.1 Tracking Coverage 69
3.7.2 RFS Strategies 70
3.7.3 Spacecraft Fault Protection 72
References 74
Additional Resources 76
Chapter 4 Galileo Telecommunications 79
by Jim Taylor, Kar-Ming Cheung, and Dongae Seo
4.1 Mission and Spacecraft Description 79
4.1.1 The Mission 79
4.1.2 The Spacecraft 82
4.2 Galileo Spacecraft Telecommunications System 86
4.2.1 Galileo Telecommunications Functions and Modes 87
4.2.2 Radio Frequency Subsystem 89
4.2.3 Modulation Demodulation Subsystem 90
4.2.4 S-/X-Band Antenna Subsystem 92
4.2.5 X- to S-Band Downconverter 93
4.2.6 Telecom Hardware Performance during Flight 93
4.2.7 Orbiter Input Power and Mass Summary 96
4.3 Galileo S-Band Mission 98
4.3.1 Overview 98
4.3.2 Ground System Improvements for Galileo S-Band Mission 101
4.3.3 Data Compression 103
4.3.4 Galileo Encoding and Feedback Concatenated Decoding 106
4.4 Telecom Link Performance 110
4.4.1 Design Control Tables 111
4.4.2 Long-Term Planning Predicts 112
4.5 Telecom Operational Scenarios 115
4.5.1 Planned and Actual DSN Coverage 115
4.5.2 Launch Phase 115
4.5.3 Cruise Phase 116
4.5.4 HGA Deployment Attempts 118
4.5.5 Probe Separation, Jupiter Cruise, and Jupiter Orbit Insertion 120
4.5.6 Orbital Operational Phase 121
4.5.7 Solar Conjunction 123
4.5.8 Galileo Europa Mission and Galileo Millennium Mission 125
4.6 Probe-to-Orbiter Relay-Link Design 125
4.6.1 Overview 125
4.6.2 Link Requirements and Design 126
4.6.3 Summary of Achieved Relay-Link Performance 128
4.7 Lessons Learned 129
References 131
Chapter 5 Deep Space 1 135
by Jim Taylor, Michela Munoz Fernandez, Ana I. Bolea-Alamanac, and Kar-Ming Cheung
5.1 Mission and Spacecraft Description 136
5.1.1 Technology Validation 136
5.1.2 Mission Overview 137
5.1.3 Telecom Subsystem Overview 138
5.2 Telecom Subsystem Requirements 139
5.3 Telecom System Description 140
5.4 DS1 Telecom Technology 144
5.4.1 Small Deep Space Transponder (SDST) 144
5.4.2 Ka-Band Solid-State Power Amplifier (KaPA) 147
5.4.3 Beacon Monitor Operations Experiment (BMOX) 149
5.4.4 Telecom System Mass and Input Power 153
5.5 Telecom Ground System Description 153
5.5.1 Uplink and Downlink Carrier Operation 154
5.5.2 Radiometric Data (Doppler and Ranging) 154
5.5.3 Command Processing and Radiation 157
5.5.4 Telemetry Demodulation, Decoding, Synchronization, and Display 158
5.6 Telecom Link Performance 161
5.7 Operational Scenarios 173
5.7.1 Launch 173
5.7.2 Safing 174
5.7.3 Anchor Pass (at HGA Earth Point, High Rate) 174
5.7.4 Midweek Pass (at Thrust Attitude for IPS Operation) 175
5.7.5 High-Gain-Antenna Activity (January–June 2000, March 2001) 176
5.7.6 Solar Conjunction 181
5.7.7 Ka-Band Downlink 183
5.8 Lessons Learned 183
5.8.1 Telecom-Related Lessons Learned 183
5.8.2 Project-Level Lessons Learned 188
References 190
Additional Resources 192
Chapter 6 Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter 193
by Jim Taylor, Dennis K. Lee, and Shervin Shambayati
6.1 Mission Overview 193
6.2 Mission Phases and Orbit Summary 194
6.2.1 Mission Objectives 194
6.2.2 The MRO Spacecraft 195
6.2.3 Mission Phases 196
6.2.4 The MRO Orbit and Its Relay Coverage for Surface Vehicles 204
6.2.5 MRO Orbit Phasing to Support Landing Vehicle EDL 206
6.3 Telecommunications Subsystem Overview 207
6.3.1 X-Band: Cruise and Orbital Operations 207
6.3.2 UHF: Proximity Relay Communications 219
6.3.3 Ka-Band: Operational Demonstration 227
6.4 Ground Data System 227
6.4.1 Deep Space Network 227
6.4.2 Ka-Band Demonstration Requirements 228
6.4.3 Ground Data Network Flow for Relay Data through Electra 229
6.5 X-Band Telecom Operations 231
6.5.1 Cruise Calibrations 231
6.5.2 MOI Telecom Configurations 231
6.5.3 Aerobraking Telecom Configurations 232
6.5.4 Downlink Telemetry Modulation and Coding 233
6.5.5 Coordinating MRO and MER X-Band Operations 236
6.6 Ka-Band Cruise Verification 240
6.6.1 Ka-Band Operations Overview 240
6.6.2 Ka-Band Link Prediction and Performance during Cruise 240
6.6.3 Ka-Band Communications Demonstration Plans 242
6.6.4 Spacecraft X-Band and Ka-Band Constraints and Operational Factors 243
6.6.5 Delta-DOR X-Band and Ka-Band Operations and Performance 244
6.6.6 Planned Solar Conjunction Experiments 245
6.7 Lessons Learned 246
6.7.1 X-Band 246
6.7.2 Ka-Band 247
6.7.3 UHF 248
References 248
Chapter 7 Mars Exploration Rover Telecommunications 251
by Jim Taylor, Andre Makovsky, Andrea Barbieri, Ramona Tung, Polly Estabrook, and A. Gail Thomas
7.1 Mission and Spacecraft Summary 252
7.1.1 Mission Objectives 252
7.1.2 Mission Description 253
7.1.3 The Spacecraft 255
7.2 Telecommunications Subsystem Overview 261
7.2.1 X-Band: Cruise, EDL, Surface 261
7.2.2 UHF: EDL, Surface 262
7.2.3 Direct-to-Earth Downlink Capability 263
7.2.4 UHF Relay Capability 263
7.3 Telecom Subsystem Hardware and Software 267
7.3.1 X-Band Flight Subsystem Description 267
7.3.2 UHF 280
7.3.3 MER Telecom Hardware Mass and Power Summary 285
7.4 Ground Systems 285
7.4.1 Deep Space Network 285
7.4.2 Entry, Descent, and Landing Communications 291
7.4.3 Relay Data Flow 296
7.5 Telecom Subsystem and Link Performance 299
7.5.1 X-Band: Cruise, EDL, and Surface 299
7.5.2 UHF: EDL and Primary Mission Surface Operations 322
7.6 Lessons Learned 336
7.6.1 What Could Serve as a Model for the Future 337
7.6.2 What Could Be Improved 344
7.7 Beyond the Extended Mission 355
7.7.1 Spirit 355
7.7.2 Opportunity 356
References 356
Chapter 8 Mars Science Laboratory 359
by Andre Makovsky, Peter Ilott, and Jim Taylor
8.1 Mars Science Laboratory Mission and Spacecraft
Summary 359
8.1.1 Mission Description 362
8.1.2 Launch/Arrival Period Selection 364
8.1.3 Launch Phase and Initial Acquisition 370
8.1.4 Cruise Phase 381
8.1.5 Approach Phase 384
8.1.6 EDL Phase 385
8.1.7 Flight System Description 400
8.2 Telecom Subsystem Overview 407
8.2.1 Telecom for Launch, Cruise, and into EDL 412
8.2.2 Surface Operations 413
8.2.3 X-Band Flight Subsystem Description 415
8.2.4 UHF Flight Subsystem Description 441
8.2.5 Terminal Descent Sensor (Landing Radar) Description 454
8.2.6 MSL Telecom Hardware Mass and Power Summary 457
8.3 Ground Systems EDL Operations: EDL Data Analysis (EDA) 459
8.4 Telecom Subsystem Link Performance 460
8.4.1 X-Band 460
8.4.2 UHF 474
8.5 Surface Operations (Plans) 481
8.5.1 Mission Operations System Approach 481
8.5.2 Initial Surface Ground Operations 482
8.5.3 Tactical Operations after First 90 Sols 484
8.5.4 UHF Telecom Constraints 484
8.6 Surface Operations (Characterized in Flight) 488
8.6.1 Mitigating the Effects of Electromagnetic Interference 489
8.6.2 Data Volume Achieved with MRO and Odyssey Links 489
8.6.3 Relay Link Models 491
References 494
Acronyms and Abbreviations 499
About the Companion Website 523
Index 525
