Downloaded packets decoding is possible with original Gomspace TNC hardware and CSP-term software. However, some projects (e.g. https://github.com/daniestevez/gr-satellites) deals with CSP packets decoding from GOMX-1 via software defined radio. GOMX-1 satellite use the same radio as VZLUSAT-1 (Gomspace NanoCom U482C). All downloaded data are interpreted in this web page of the Pilsen ground station.
Basic architecture of Pilsen ground station for VZLUSat-1. Software development environments and languages (PHP, HTML, SQL) for local ground station equipment, radio operators interface, scientific team interface and internet page data presentation are unified. | Operated satellite VZLUSat-1 with deployable x-ray optics focusing on particle detector. Satellite has also hollow retro-reflector array and radiation shielding composite materials. | Non-interactive mode of Pilsen ground station - radio (frequency tuning) and antenna rotator (azimuth, elevation) controlled by PC software, commands are send and evaluated by PHP script based on requirements of remote operators. |
Prototype of PilsenCube main onboard data handling and control unit with two ARM controllers (main and back-up, firmware upgrade ability), hardware watch-dog unit and flash memory. | Prototype of deployable solar panel for PilsenCube satellite with small area solar cells. Solar cells create 4 separated blocks for higher failure and damage immunity. Inner layers of PCB contain a temperature sensor. | Our future vision of small satellite structure with simply scalable inner and outer shielded sections for less and more radiation tolerant devices providing reasonable total mass budget of satellite. |
Pilsen Ground Station - Three directional antennas (VHF, UHF, S-Band) with two-axis rotator on the roof of Faculty of Electrical Engineering. Ground station has perfect visibility of horizon. | CAD model of PilsenCube inner structure. Blue parts are two cylindrical LiFePO4 accumulators supplemented by two Maxwell supercapacitors (350F/2.7V) solving the problem of fast eldering of accumulators on Earth orbit. | CAD model of S-Band and UHF antenna system on PilsenCube satellite. Also 88-108MHz antenna were considered for RDS receiver subsystem used as low power autonomous orbit determination. |