Design of a Peruvian Small Satellite Network

Abstract

A national concept for the implementation of a network of ground stations for small satellite missions is being designed. This network shall support the newly conceived small satellite program in Peru. Currently Peruvian engineers conduct investigations on how to carry out this challenging project, which is expected to gain not only Peru but also the Peruvian industry. The proposed network shall be supported not only by Peruvian government institutions, but also by national and international universities. The establishment of such a program has already been started and a couple of European entities and universities are interested in becoming co-partner within the project. The ground stations will be located in remote places in Peru thus providing wide communication coverage, permitting longer contact capabilities between the satellite and the ground, and creating a complex space and ground based system. A network including these places will cover a landscape area larger than one million km2. In general small satellites use a low data rate downlink. Due to less number of access and low power capacity the usage of an UHF transmitter is the only possibility. This network will widen the contact capability with the satellites and consequently there will be more opportunity to dump a higher amount of data. Since the communication system for small satellites is developing in a rapid pace, this network would be beneficial to dump data faster than before allowing the collection and distribution of data in an effective manner for the users. This will permit generating more accurate data generation from the instruments or from the spacecraft itself. At a first level the network will be implemented with UHF band antennas, which in the future will be expanded with S-band antennas. This Peruvian network will be functional for our national small satellite program and also for all the satellite missions that currently operate on radio amateur frequencies.