Preliminary Design

Version 3 (J. Simmons, 12/24/2013 10:06 am)

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h1. Preliminary Design
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h3. Introduction
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This document covers the preliminary design decisions for the *Ground Sphere* ground station hardware.  The document includes three sections: technical background on *SkyCube's* radio, hardware design of *Ground Sphere*, and software design of *Ground Sphere*.  The design is structured in parallel with the [[Requirements Document]] to ensure all requirements are satisfied.
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h3. SkyCube Radio Details
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h3. Hardware Design of Ground Sphere
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* TR 1.1 Enable users to receive "space tweets"
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** TR 1.1.2 Receive radio signals on 915 MHz
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*** Antenna
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*** "Preamp":http://www.g0mrf.com/432LNA.htm
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*** "RTL2832U SDR":http://www.realtek.com.tw/products/productsView.aspx?Langid=1&PFid=35&Level=4&Conn=3&ProdID=257
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* h3. TR 1.2 Be easy to assemble from kit components
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** TR 1.2.1 Time to assemble
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*** Ground station will be shipped as a kit
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** TR 1.2.2 Tools for assembly
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*** Preamp will ship already assembled, ground station structure will include all drill holes and all other component fabrications steps 
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* TR 1.3 Have low shipping costs for the packaged kit
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** <insert max dimensions here?>
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* TR 1.4 Operate using a modern Windows PC
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** TR 1.4.3 Hardware must connect to PC using standard port(s)
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*** The SDR connects to host computer through USB 2.0
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* TR 1.5 Hardware must be robust
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** All connectors will be designed to ensure long life (internally mounted, have adequate strain relief, etc)
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* PR 2.1 Budget
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** PR 2.1.1 Unit cost
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*** <insert current materials cost here from BoM>
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h3. Software Design of Ground Sphere
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* TR 1.1 Enable users to receive "space tweets"
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** TR 1.1.1 Predict SkyCube flyover opportunities
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*** Using "GPredict":http://gpredict.oz9aec.net for flyover prediction
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** TR 1.1.2 Receive radio signals on 915 MHz
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*** SeeDeR software (provided by Southern Stars) can tune SDR to 915 MHz
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** TR 1.1.3 Decode "space tweet" message from SkyCube
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*** SeeDeR software (provided by Southern Stars) can decode the BPSK-modulated, unencrypted AX.25 data packets sent at 9600 baud "space tweets" sent out by *SkyCube*
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** TR 1.1.4 Account for Doppler shift
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*** SeeDeR software (provided by Southern Stars) will be updated to account for Doppler shift
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* TR 1.4 Operate using a modern Windows PC
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** TR 1.4.1 Software must run on Windows
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*** GPredict runs on Windows 7
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*** SDR drivers <get link from Aaron> run on Windows 7
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*** SeeDeR runs on Windows 7
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** TR 1.4.2 Software must be easy to install
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*** GPredict includes a Windows installer
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*** SDR drivers include a Windows installer
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*** Southern Stars will provide a Windows installer for SeeDeR