Link Analysis

Version Date Revised by

0.5 1996 CMS
1.0 1999 CMS
1.2 2002 CMS
2 Feb 5,2007 CMS
2.2 11/12/2008 CMS
2.5 1/2/2009 CMS
2.6 7/2/2009 CMS

Started
Charles M Swenson (Charles.Swenson@usu.edu)

Summary of Changes
Written in Quattro Pro for Retro modulator Balloon Experiment
Translated to Excel for USUSat II / ION-F
updated for USUSat II
Set up for Homework/project in ECE 5240
Fixed up with assignment sheet for ECE 5230
Combined with Telemetry worksheet
Cleaned up a little for CEDAR

To Do Sometime
Create antenna gain sections for other types of antenna's
Including a simple directive model antenna
Finish figure to temperature and temp to figure tool
Clean up Telemetry worksheet and fix symbols
Add notes all around to document and explain for students
Add pull down menu's and switches to route data
Get rid of the images on the figures page with actual Excel
figures and graphs if possible
Kill off a few lines to do with radians and gains that are not in
DB scale to compact the spreadsheet some (maybe?)
Link Budget Analysis
Constants Symbol Values Units
Earth gravitational constant m 398600.5 km3/s2
Earth radius RE 6,378.14 km
Speed of Light c 3.00E+08 m
Boltzmann Constant k 1.38E-23 J/K

Design Element Symbol Units Link 1 Link 2

Link Frequency f GHz 0.465 0.465
Transmitter Power Ptx Watts 1 1
Transmitter Power Ptx dBW 0.00 0.00
Transmitter
Antenna Gain Gtx dB 0.00 0.00
Antenna Transmitter Losses Ltx dB -0.5 -0.5
Antenna Beam width qtx Deg 180.0 180.0
Antenna Misalignment atx Deg 15 15
Alignment Loss Lqtx dB -0.08 -0.08
Equivalent Isotropic Radiated Power EIRP dBW -0.58 -0.58
Losses
Propagation Path Length S Km 250.0 2329.0
Space Loss Ls dB -133.76 -153.14
Atmospheric La dB -0.1 -0.1
Polarization Loss Lp dB -3 -3
Total Losses L dB -136.86 -156.24
Receiver
Antenna Gain Gr dB 35.9 35.9
Antenna Receiver Loss Lr dB -0.5 -0.5
Antenna Beam width qr Deg 2.5 2.5
Antenna Misalignment ar Deg 1 1
Alignment Loss Lqr dB -1.91 -1.91
Total Receiver G dB 33.44 33.44
Sky (Antenna) Noise Temperature Ta K 60 60
Receiver Temperature Tr K 120.00 120.00
System Noise Temperature Ts K 180.00 180.00
Receiver Merit G/T DB(1/K) 10.89 10.89
Powers
Power Flux Density f dB(W/m2) -119.53 -138.92
Power Flux Spectral Density ff dB(W/m /kHz)
2
-159.53 -178.92
Power Flux Spectral Density Limit ff dB(W/m /kHz)
2
-158.02 -158.02
Carrier Power Received Prx dBW -103.99 -123.38
Noise Spectral Density No dB(W/Hz) -206.05 -206.05
Carrier to Noise Density Prx/No dB(Hz) 102.05 82.67
Rates
Data Rate R Bps 1.00E+07 1.00E+07
Eb/No Eb/No dB 32.05 12.67
Required Eb/No dB 9.6 9.6
Required Margin dB 3 3
Margin dB 19.45 0.07

Design Element Symbol Units Value

-- Antenna Feed --
Feed Gain G1 dB -1.8
Feed Gain G1 0.66
Feed Thermodynamic Temperature T K 290
TA
Feed Noise Temperature T1 K 148.93
Cumulative Receiver Noise Temperatur Te K 148.9
Cumulative Receiver Gain Ge 0.66
-- Preamp --
Preamp Gain G2 dB 30
Preamp Gain G2 1000.00
Preamp Noise Temperature T2 K 60
Cumulative Receiver Noise Temperatur Te K 240
Cumulative Receiver Gain Ge 661
-- Line Connect --
Line Gain G3 dB -0.5
Line Gain G3 0.89
Line Thermodynamic Temperature T K 290
Line Noise Temperature T3 K 35.39
Cumulative Receiver Noise Temperatur Te K 240
Cumulative Receiver Gain Ge 589
-- Down Converter --
Down Converter Gain G4 dB 3
Down Converter Gain G4 2.00
Down Converter Noise Temperature T4 K 300
Cumulative Receiver Noise Temperatur Te K 240
Cumulative Receiver Gain Ge 1175
-- Line Connect --
Line Gain G5 dB -0.5
Line Gain G5 0.89
Line Thermodynamic Temperature T K 290
Line Noise Temperature T5 K 35.39
Cumulative Receiver Noise Temperatur Te K 240
Cumulative Receiver Gain Ge 1047
-- Detector --
Detector Gain G6 dB 3
Detector Gain G6 2.00
Detector Noise Temperature T6 K 1420
Cumulative Receiver Noise Temperatur Te K 242
Cumulative Receiver Gain Ge 2089

System Noise Temperature

Antenna Noise (from figure) Ta dB 12
Receiver System Noise Temperature Te 241.7
System Noise Temperature Ts 253.7
 Sample Orbits Ra (km) Rp (km) i (deg)
Color Code Key Shuttle 380 380 28
User Inputs ISS 380 380 51.6
calculated value Sun-Synchronous 474 474 97.3
Heading GPS 20,183 20,183 54.85
Sub Heading Molniya 39,850 500 63.4
Geosynchronous 35,786 35,786 0

Link 3 Link 4 Design Element Symbol Units Value

0.465 0.465 Spacecraft Altitude h km 600
1 1 Degrees above Horizon e Deg 5
0.00 0.00 Angle above Horizon e Rad 0.087
Range R km 2329.0
0.00 0.00
-0.5 -0.5 Gain of a Parabolic Reflector Antenna - Transmitter
180.0 60.0 Design Element Symbol Units Value
15 15 Antenna Diameter D m 20
-0.08 -0.75 Global Efficiency h 0.5
-0.58 -1.25 Antenna Frequency f GHz 0.465
Peak Antenna Gain Gmax 4.75E+03
2329.0 2329.0 Peak Antenna Gain Gmax dB 36.77
-153.14 -153.14 Antenna Beam width theta Deg 2.26
-0.1 -0.1
-3 -3
-156.24 -156.24
Gain of a Parabolic Reflector Antenna - Receiver
36.8 36.8 Design Element Symbol Units Value
-0.5 -0.5 Antenna Diameter D m 18
2.2 2.2 Global Efficiency h 0.5
0.5 0.5 Antenna Frequency f GHz 0.465
-0.62 -0.62 Peak Antenna Gain Gmax 3.85E+03
35.65 35.65 Peak Antenna Gain Gmax dB 35.85
60 60 Antenna Beam width theta Deg 2.51
60.00 200.00
120.00 260.00 Link Type (notes) Margin Units
14.86 11.50 Flight Termination 9 dB
Command & Control 6 dB
-138.92 -139.59 Data Dump 3 dB
-178.92 -179.59 Other 0 dB
-158.02 -158.02
-121.17 -121.84 Modulation (notes) Eb/No Bandwidth
-207.81 -204.45 For BER of 10 -5
 86.63 82.61 FSK 13.3 2R
FSK-4
1.00E+07 1.00E+07 FSK-8 9.2 2.6 R
16.63 12.61 BPSK 9.6 R
9.6 9.6 DPSK 10.3 R
3 3 QPSK 9.6 0.5 R
4.03 0.01 Convolutionally Coded PSK 4.4

T2 T4 T6
T1 T3 T5
TA GG1 GG2 GG3 GG4 GG5 GG6
1 2 3 4 5 6

Feed Line Down Line

LNA Detector
Convert

Noise Temperature to Noise Figure

Symbol Units Value
Noise Temperature T K
Reference Temperature K
Noise Figure F
Noise Figure to Noise Temperature
Symbol Units Value
Noise Figure T K
Reference Temperature K
Noise Temperature F
Gain of a Helix Antenna - Transmitter Gain of a Dipole Antenna - Transmitter
Design Element Symbol Units Value
Antenna Length L m 0.6
Global Efficiency h 0.7
Operating Frequency f GHz 0.465
Operating wavelength l m 0.64
Antenna Diameter D m 0.21
Peak Antenna Gain Gmax 9.77E+00
Peak Antenna Gain Gmax dB 9.90
Antenna Beam width theta Deg 53.90

Gain of a Helix Antenna - Receiver

Design Element Symbol Units Value
Length (2l < L < 7l) L m 1
Global Efficiency h 0.7
Operating Frequency f GHz 0.465
Operating wavelength l m 0.64
Antenna Diameter D m 0.21
Peak Antenna Gain Gmax 1.63E+01
Peak Antenna Gain Gmax dB 12.12
Antenna Beam width theta Deg 41.75
ntenna - Transmitter Gain of a Patch Antenna - Transmitter Gain of a Dipole Horn - Transmitter
orn - Transmitter Gain of a Yagi Antenna - Transmitter
Telemetry/Data Handling Budget Analysis
Constants Symbol Values Units User Inputs
Earth gravitational constant m 398600.5 km3/s2 calculated value
Earth radius RE 6378 km Heading
Seconds In a year Ty 3.156E+07 s Sub Heading

Telemetry Channels
Channel Rate Word Size Bit Rate Sample Period
Name Hz bits bits/s #/Orbit spatial (km)
Super Instrument 1 23.04 16 368.64 136366 0.33
Super Instrument 2 23.04 16 368.64 136366 0.33
Magnetometer X-Axis 5.76 16 92.16 34092 1.30
Magnetometer Y-Axis 5.76 16 92.16 34092 1.30
Magnetometer Z-Axis 5.76 16 92.16 34092 1.30
GPS Receiver 0.000169 4096 0.69 1 44434.69
Sun sensor elevation 0.0167 64 1.07 355120 450.45
Sun phase sensor 0.0167 48 0.80 355120 450.45
Power system (battery) 0.0167 16 0.27 355120 450.45
Temp Monitor 1 0.0017 8 0.01 3551204 4504.53
Temp Monitor 2 0.0167 8 0.13 355120 450.45
Temp Monitor 3 0.0167 8 0.13 355120 450.45
Temp Monitor 4 0.0167 8 0.13 355120 450.45
Everything else 0.0167 128 2.13 355120 450.45
0.00 - -
Rate collected on orbit Total 1019.13 bits/s

Required Down Link

Design Element Symbol Value Units
Rate collected on orbit Rcollected 1019.13 bits/s
Downlink telemetry rate Rtransmitted 115200 bits/s
Packet overhead 7% Unitless
Available telemetry rate 106650 Bits/s
Factor of Safety a 1.05 Unitless
Contact Time Percent tc 1.00% Unitless
Down link rate Rd 107009 bits/s
Telemetry Margin 0% Unitless

Estimated Daily Downlink

Average Daily Data Dump 11.02 M Bytes
Required Daily Data Dump 10.50 M Bytes
Average Contact Time per Day 864.00 s
Estimated contacts/day 2
Estimated usable contacts duration 432.00 s
Estimated usable contacts duration 7.20 min
Estimated Dump/Contact 5.51 M Bytes

Required Telemetry Buffer

Design Element Symbol Value Units
Onboard Collection Rate Rc 1019.13 bits/s
Factor of Safety a 4
Max Time Between Contacts tc 58482 s
Required Telemetry Buffer 238403664 Bits
Required Telemetry Buffer 28.42 M Bytes
Required Telemetry Buffer 227.36 M Bits

Required Transmitter Power

Design Element Symbol Value Units
Transmitter RF Power 1 Watts
Transmitter Efficiency 25%
Transmitter Power 4.00 Watts
Orbit Average On time 59.19 S
Orbit Average Power 40.00 mW
 Onboard 
Instruments
Satellite Orbit
Value Symbol Values Units
Perigee altitude hp 694 km
Apogee altitude ha 694 km
Inclination i 98.2 deg
Radius of perigee rp 7072 km
Radius of apogee ra 7072 km
Semi major axis a 7072 km
Eccentricity e 0.000
Orbit Period ts 98.64 min
Velocity at perigee Vp 7.51 km/s
Velocity at apogee Va 7.51 km/s
Semilactus rectum p 7072.00 km
Mean Motion n 91.72 rad/day
Mean Motion n 14.60 rev/day

Satellite at 400 km Circular

One Year Simulation July 1, 2011 - July 1, 2012 31557600 s/year
10 deg horizon or 80 degree cone angle (half angle)
Logan Wurzburg Ann Arbor
Access tc Gap Access Tc Gap Access
Inclination Total (s) Percent Max (s) Total (s) Percent Max (s) Total (s)
65 384255 1.22% 53864 510388 1.62% 54146 390166
70 353554 1.12% 53872 439327 1.39% 54086 357562
75 333915 1.06% 48260 401204 1.27% 48526 337466
80 320840 1.02% 48225 379493 1.20% 48460 324237
85 314165 1.00% 42782 367898 1.17% 42953 317109

90 310664 0.98% 45624 364013 1.15% 42874 315053

95 313495 0.99% 45613 368276 1.17% 45359 317027
100 321725 1.02% 45671 379586 1.20% 45448 324685

Satellite at 300 km Circular

One Year Simulation July 1, 2011 - July 1, 2012 31557600 s/year
10 deg horizon or 80 degree cone angle (half angle)
Logan Wurzburg Ann Arbor

Access tc Gap Access Tc Gap Access

Inclination Total (s) Percent Max (s) Total (s) Percent Max (s) Total (s)
65 257224 0.82% 52802 335755 1.06% 58482 260825
70 237116 0.75% 52745 293539 0.93% 52996 239864
75 224481 0.71% 52763 269903 0.86% 52955 226463
80 215870 0.68% 47278 255545 0.81% 47505 218338
85 211096 0.67% 47243 248107 0.79% 47459 213450
90 209715 0.66% 44701 245451 0.78% 44436 211704
95 211456 0.67% 44747 248056 0.79% 44485 213067

100 216659 0.69% 50073 255798 0.81% 49823 218179

Satellite at 500 km
One Year Simulation 31557600 s/year
40 deg horizon or 50 degree cone angle (half angle)
JRO Goldstone Poker
Access Tc Gap Access Tc Gap Access
Inclination Total (s) Percent Max (s) Total (s) Percent Max (s) Total (s)
65 0.00% 474630 0.00% 225610
70 37638 0.12% 559941 47806 0.15% 736915 170107
75 0.00% 560056 0.00% 382350
28 82040 0.26% 84858 0 0.00% 0
9 0.00% 78673 0 0.00% 0
10 deg horizon or 80 degree cone angle (half angle)
JRO Goldstone Poker
Access T c Gap Access T c Gap Access
Inclination Total (s) Percent Max (s) Total (s) Percent Max (s) Total (s)
65 0.00% 0.00%
70 331168 1.05% 48388 418113 1.32% 49056 1005868
75 0.00% 48401 0.00% 49043
28 785584 2.49% 0 0.00% 0
9 1139057 3.61% 0 0.00% 0
 Onboard 
nstruments

Spacecraft
Memory

Ann Arbor Poker Flat Wallops

Tc Gap Access Tc Gap Access Tc Gap
Percent Max (s) Total (s) Percent Max (s) Total (s) Percent Max (s)
1.24% 53880 675001 2.14% 65826 351192 1.11% 53758
1.13% 53885 820177 2.60% 60163 327103 1.04% 48252
1.07% 48276 852982 2.70% 54530 311294 0.99% 48142
1.03% 48240 666776 2.11% 48929 300846 0.95% 48117
1.00% 42791 599400 1.90% 43359 294832 0.93% 48131

1.00% 45606 581975 1.84% 37817 291000 0.92% 45747

1.00% 45596 599333 1.90% 39483 294757 0.93% 45735
1.03% 45657 666280 2.11% 45009 301811 0.96% 45777
Ann Arbor Poker Flat Wallops
Tc Gap Access Tc Gap Access Tc Gap
Percent Max (s) Total (s) Percent Max (s) Total (s) Percent Max (s)
0.83% 52828 501974 1.59% 64470 234948 0.74% 52662
0.76% 52760 621974 1.97% 58924 219284 0.69% 52648
0.72% 52775 585235 1.85% 53427 208421 0.66% 52687
0.69% 47293 440558 1.40% 47963 202135 0.64% 47177
0.68% 47257 402445 1.28% 42535 198301 0.63% 47146
0.67% 44684 391887 1.24% 38543 196832 0.62% 47162
0.68% 44729 402407 1.28% 43991 197939 0.63% 44873

0.69% 50057 440286 1.40% 49399 201509 0.64% 50203

Tc Gap
Percent Max (s)
0.00% 73391

10º
0.54% 67556
0.00% 61779

40º
0.00%
0.00%

Tc Gap
Percent Max (s)
0.00%
3.19%
0.00% 50005
0.00%
0.00%
Straw Man Telemetry Transmitted Rate Collection Rate

Quantity Symbol Value Units kbits/s kbits/s

Factor of Safety a 1.05 Unitless 1.20 0.01
Contact Time Percent t 1.00% Unitless 9.60 0.09
Packet Overhead 7% Unitless 115.20 1.02
Velocity 7.5 km/s 256.00 2.27
Word Size 16 bits 1000.00 8.86
2000.00 17.71
10000.00 88.57

Straw Man Telemetry Transmitted Rate Collection Rate

Quantity Symbol Value Units kbits/s kbits/s
Factor of Safety a 1.05 Unitless 1.20 0.01
Contact Time Percent t 80.00% Unitless 9.60 0.09
Packet Overhead 7% Unitless 115.20 1.02
Velocity 7.5 km/s 256.00 2.27
Word Size 16 bits 1000.00 8.86
2000.00 17.71
10000.00 88.57

Contact with Ground Statio

1.60%

1.40%
Percent Time In contact

1.20%

1.00%

0.80%

0.60%
 1.20%

Percent Time I
1.00%

0.80%

0.60%
65 70 75 80 85

Orbit Inclination Degrees

 Data Samples Spatial Sampling
Contact with g
Hz m
0.66 11290.32 3.00% Satellite
5.31 1411.29

Percent Time In contact

63.77 117.61
141.71 52.92 2.50%
553.57 13.55
1107.14 6.77
5535.71 1.35
2.00%

Data Samples Spatial Sampling

1.50%
Hz m
0.66 11290.32 1.00%
5.31 1411.29
63.77 117.61
141.71 52.92 0.50%
553.57 13.55 65 70 75
1107.14 6.77
5535.71 1.35 Orbit Inclin

Contact with g
3.00%
ntact with Ground Station, tc Satellite a
Percent Time In contact

Logan (300 km)

2.50%
Wurzburg (300 km)
Logan (400 km) 2.00%
Wurzburg (400 km)

1.50%

1.00%

0.50%
65 70 75
Orbit Inclin
 1.00%

Perce
0.50%
65 70 75
Orbit Inclin
75 80 85 90 95 100

Orbit Inclination Degrees

Contact with ground station, tc

Satellite at 400 km c Poker Flat

Wallops
Logan
Wurzburg

70 75 80 85 90 95 100
Orbit Inclination Degrees

Contact with ground station, tc

Poker Flat
Satellite at 300 km c Wallops
Logan
Wurzburg

70 75 80 85 90 95 100
Orbit Inclination Degrees
70 75 80 85 90 95 100
Orbit Inclination Degrees