CMC – CubeSat UHF/VHF Transceiver

UHF/VHF Transceiver

The UHF/VHF transceiver is a compact telemetry and command radio designed for CubeSat missions. It is compatible with the CubeSat standard and has a CubeSat Kit PC/104 form factor. The transceiver implements GMSK and AFSK modulation schemes with data rates of 9600 and 1200 baud, respectively. The precursor to this transceiver was part of the ZACUBE-1 mission, South Africa’s first launched CubeSat.

The transceiver implements full-duplex GMSK uplink and downlink communications. A combination of AFSK and GMSK provides full-duplex communications with data rates of 1200 and 9600 bps, respectively. The AFSK does not operate exclusively in full-duplex mode. The CMC transmits frequencies in the amateur and commercial bands.

Benefits:

• The transceiver is ideal for missions where a low data-rate downlink/uplink is required. It can also be used as a robust lower data-rate backup radio for a higher data-rate radio. The AX.25 protocol scheme implemented is popular among amateur radio enthusiasts.
• The design is robust as it is not a highly integrated design susceptible to radiation. Rather, it includes many discrete components, as well as an inherently radiation-immune FPGA as the controller.
• The subsystem is designed to be very low power, as it is a TT&C radio that needs to be powered constantly.

Offering:

The product is currently being licensed to two companies on a non-exclusive basis. CPUT is seeking additional licensing partners who would like to license and commercialise the product.