Antenna Design

3:00 PM – Pilot Sequence Design for Telemetry Waveforms in Multi-Antenna Transmitters
 Oussama Ait Sidi Ali and Alain Thomas, Safran Data Systems; Bertrand Le Gal, IRISA Laboratory; Romain Tajan, IMS Laboratory

In multi-antenna systems, accurate Channel State Information estimation is crucial for reliable data decoding. In aeronautical telemetry, the spatial separation of antennas onboard aircraft, which can span several meters, introduces non negligible differential delays between received signals at receiver side which degrades channel estimation, thereby impacting the communication performance. To address this issue, we propose to use Space Time Coding to generate pilot sequences that mitigate differential delay degradation. Thus leading to improved receiver robustness in multi-antenna aircraft telemetry systems. Complete communication system simulation using AWGN channel showcases gains in CSI estimation up to 6dB without any increase in pilot sequence size nor in computational complexity.

3:20 PM- Optimizing Time-of-Flight (TOF) Mass Spectrometer Performance for Small Satellites: A Simulation-Based Approach
Anchal Patel, Anjali Patel, Kai Smith, Amir Unz, Aziz Alani, Dr. Erik Perrins, and Dr. Adam Gorrell, University of Kansas

The KUbeSat program at the University of Kansas (KU) is developing its second cube satellite, KUbeSat-2, featuring a time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer as its primary payload to study Earth’s upper atmosphere and the impact of solar activity on atmospheric composition. Designing a mass spectrometer for CubeSat applications requires careful consideration of multiple design parameters to achieve optimal performance within sizing constraints. This study analyzes the payload instrument’s design, emphasizing parameter selection and dimension optimization through computational algorithms. The TOFSIM and SIMION simulations are subsequently used for comparative insights into instrument performance under various configurations. Ultimately, this research will contribute to enhance the design and performance of TOF mass spectrometers for small satellite missions.

3:40 PM- Importance of Utilizing Commercial Formats
Cody Raml, Avionics Interface Technologies a Teradyne Company

Today’s 5th and 6th generation aircraft require ever more complexity and higher data rates.  New initiatives, such as the DoD’s Digital Transformation, require an updated approach to meet the needs of tomorrow’s war fighters.  The Air Force’s new ‘Agile Combat Employment’ concept will require collaboration between an increasing number of smaller groups.  We must increasingly look to the commercial sector for secure data transfer and storage standards.  PcapNG, Network Attached Storage (NAS), Digital Modeling, and Cloud Based Connectivity are just a few in a long list of commercial tools that can be utilized to shorten development cycles and lessen the burden of collaboration among large, diverse groups. This paper will explore the benefits of using such methods