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Onboard Signal Processing: Wave of the Future for Planetary Radio Science?Future spacecraft-based radio observations of planetary surfaces, rings, and atmospheres could significantly benefit from recent technological advances in real-time digital signal processing (DSP) hardware. Traditionally, the radio observations have been carried out in a 'down link' configuration in which about 20-W spacecraft transmitted RF power illuminates the target of interest and the perturbed signal is collected at an Earth receiving station. The down link configuration was dictated by the large throughput of received data, corresponding to a relatively large recording band width (about 50 kHz) needed to capture the coherent and scattered signal components in the presence of trajectory, ephemeris, and measurement uncertainties. An alternative 'up link' configuration in which powerful Earth-based radio transmitters (20-200 kW) are used to illuminate the target and data are recorded on board a spacecraft could enhance the measurements' signal-to-noise ratio by a factor of about 1000, allowing a quantum leap in scientific capabilities. Various aspects of alternative signal processing technologies are discussed.
Document ID
19930019612
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Marouf, E. A.
(San Jose State Univ. CA, United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1993
Publication Information
Publication: Lunar and Planetary Inst., Workshop on Advanced Technologies for Planetary Instruments, Part 1
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Exploration
Accession Number
93N28801
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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