GS-1: A UHF Ground Station for LEO Satellite Communication

The WashU Satellite Ground Station-1 is the team’s second project and first infrastructure step toward reviving WashU’s presence in space. It provides support for our upcoming CubeSat project, SCALAR, and lays the groundwork for future missions. With this project, we are developing a robust, high-performance system that prioritizes student design opportunities and thoroughness of the final system over a reliance on COTS solutions or minimizing engineering time. The project also serves as our first experience with management of a complex technical project. GS-1 features a 3.5m, 16-17 dBiC gain, Yagi antenna connected to a HackRF software defined radio (SDR) with custom-designed RF front end electronics. The antenna is mounted with a custom AZ/EL rotating arm, mast, and frame capable of withstanding high winds and St. Louis winters. A CCDS-compatible packet structure was created, along with web-accessible software to support command/control, status visualization, and data transfers.