Bobby Anderson

Three Corner SAT Communications System Bobby Anderson

Publisher Marketing: Three Corner Satellite is a constellation of three nanosatellites designed and built by students. New Mexico State University has taken on the design of the communications system for this constellation. The system includes the forward link, return link, and the crosslink. Due to size, mass, power, and financial constraints, we must design a small, light, power efficient, and inexpensive communications system. This thesis presents the design of a radio system to accomplish the data transmission requirements in light of the system constraints. In addition to the hardware design, the operational commands needed by the satellite's on-board computer to control and communicate with the communications hardware will be presented. In order for the hardware to communicate with the ground stations, we will examine the link budgets derived from the radiated power of the transmitters, link distance, data modulation, and data rate for each link. The antenna design for the constellation is analyzed using software and testing the physical antennas on a model satellite. After the analysis and testing, a combination of different systems will meet and exceed the requirements and constraints of the Three Corner Satellite constellation. Contributor Bio:  Horan, Stephen STEPHEN M. HORAN is managing director and co-lead of education activities at CFA Institute. Prior to joining CFA Institute, he was a principal of Alesco Advisors, LLC, and a professor of finance at St. Bonaventure University. ROBERT R. JOHNSON is professor of finance in the Heider College of Business at Creighton University and also serves as a director of RS Investment Management. Prior to joining the faculty at Creighton, he was deputy CEO of CFA Institute, responsible for all aspects of the CFA program. THOMAS R. ROBINSON is managing director of the Americas at CFA Institute. He joined CFA Institute as head of educational content in 2007 from the University of Miami, where he was an associate professor of accounting and director of the Master of Professional Accounting Program.