Document: Ground station experience of WaveLab

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Ground Station projects realized by WaveLab Engineering AG

Before WaveLab Engineering AG was founded in 1999, the engineering department forming now WaveLab Eng. AG was part of Gigacomp AG. In nowadays, Gigacomp AG is a distributor for RF and microwave components in Switzerland and Germany.

1. Transportable ARTEMIS Platforms, 1995

The system integration and the platform test-ing was done by Giga-comp AG. The antenna pedestalis from Orbit / RF, some RF-equipment from Bell Alcatel, some from Gigacomp AG, the antenna feed system from MIRAD and the numerous test equip-ment form Hewlett-Packard, Rhode & Schwarz, Wavetek and others. The test equip-ment was mounted into the water- and dustproof boxes that are attached th the platform plate during transportation. The shelter has two func-tions, during the trans-portation, it protects the complete station from environmental contamination, during operation, the air conditioned room is used as control and operational center for the specialists.

Four complete stationswere manufactured, integrated and tested by Gigacomp AG in close cooperation with ESTEC.

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2. First prototype of GiC/WLE1600A pedestal, 1996

For the Berner Fachoch-schule in Burgdorf was the first ped-estal manu-factured and successfully integrated, in conjunction with the 2m parabolic dish. The con-troller soft-ware of the station runs on HP VEE and the in-terconnec-tion between the pedestal and the sta-tion controller is made over CAN-bus.

The antenna is daily use for various se-mester and diploma ex-periments in conjunction with geosta-tionary and low earth or-bit satellites. The feed sys-tem is always customized according the made experiment.

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3. SAIT Devlonics, Project LLMS, 1997

Complete ground station with 2.4m parabolic dish, GiC1600A positioner, VHF-yagi beacon anten-nas, controller and complete GUI on HP VEE.

4. Space Applications Services, Project PROBA, 2000

Complete ground station with 2.4m para-bolic dish, WLE1600A positioner and RF equipment manufactured and integrated from WaveLab Engineering AG.

The pedestal is approx. 150m away from the control center, allowing us to use a CAN-bus speed of 125kBit/s. The RF-interfaces are all on 70MHz for the IF-signals and 10MHz for the frequency refer-ence.

Technical details can also be found in theseparate PROBA documentation.

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5. European Space Agency, Project PROBA 2, 2005/2006

Complete ground station with 3.1m parabolic dish, WLE1600A antenna pedestal and RF equipment manufactured and integrated by WaveLab Engineering AG.

The pedestal is approx. 200m away from the control center, allowing us to use a CAN-bus speed of 125kBit/s. The RF-interfaces are all on 70MHz for the IF-signals and 10MHz for the fre-quency reference.

Further technical details can be received from us on special request.

Due to the scalable architecture of the today’s WLE1600A antenna pedestal, we are capable to build pedestals for larger and smaller antennas, optimized for the final application.

WaveLab Engineering AG Phone +41 31 868 44 66Gewerbestrasse 11 Fax +41 31 868 44 60CH-3053 Lätti E-Mai info@wavelab.chSwitzerland URL www.wavelab.ch