TLE Research

1. What is the definition of TLE? What kind of information is included in TLE? What do we use TLE for?

2. What are the examples of satellites that are currently using TLE to transmit their data? Are there illustrations that shows how TLE related to satellite operations?

3. For the current software and hardware design of ground station, how do you think we can integrate TLE into our ground station operation?

Ground Station Power System Research

1. How many power rails do we need to have? What are they corresponding voltages? (Hint: a high-level plan can be found in the ground station confluence page)

2. For each power rail, what are the estimated power and current requirement? (Hint: a calculation can be found in the confluence page)

3. For such power, current, and voltage requirements, what kind of wire we should use?

   1. Hint: for the wire gauge, check the AWG current rating table

   2. Hint: for the wire material, check if it endures the required voltage

4. For such power, current, and voltage requirements, what kind of connector we should use?

   1. Hint: try to consider from the following perspectives:

   2. Standardization: is this type of connector commonly used as an industrial standard? Are we able to use this type of connector throughout the ground station?

   3. Fail-safe: Do this connector prevent reversed polarity? Do we produce a connector plan that prevent accidentally wrong connection between different voltages?

   4. Current and voltage rating: Can the chosen connector endure the current and voltage we planned?

   5. Durability: Is the connector durable, or maybe waterproof?

   6. Price: how much is it? Can we get some for free or really cheap on campus?

   7. Repairability: Is it easy to repair and produce? How easy we can make a new connector and replace the old one with limited tools?

5. What kind of power supply and power distribution unit should we use?

   1. Hint: Researching AC-DC modules, DC-DC modules, LDO, each of those power supply type has its pros and cons

   2. Hint: How do we design the topology of power supplies? For example, do we get 5V directly from 110V wall supply, or from another 12V power supply?

   3. Hint: What type of power module do we use to achieve lowest interference with radio signals?

6. What are the critical parameters we should monitor in the power system? How could we design such a monitoring system? (Hint: voltage and current of each rail, etc. )

Lightning Protection Research

A great reference for this part: The ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications, Chapter 28 “Safety”

1. What are the possible hazards about lightning on ground station?

   1. Hint: thinking from the following perspective:

   2. Is lightning strike a high possibility risk for our current ground station plan?

   3. What are the mechanisms that lightning affects our ground station equipment?

   4. Which ground station equipments are most likely to be affected by lightning?

2. What are the possible methods of lightning protection?

   1. Hint: thinking from the following perspective:

   2. What protection methods can we use on RF system and power system respectively?

   3. Are these methods commonly used as industrial standard, or is there supporting documents that prove the effectiveness?

   4. Are these protection methods feasible for our ground station?