Citation
Abstract
This article reports on the Ka-band (32 GHz) signal strength data acquired during the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) cruise phase between November 2005 and February 2006, which occurred shortly after launch. Earlier reports focused on MRO performance with respect to various requirements involving telemetry and navigation, such as testing different modulation and coding schemes, different pointing techniques, as well as evaluating differential one-way ranging (DOR), Doppler and ranging performance. For this study, the received carrier-to-noise density P /N measurements were adjusted to a c 0 standard range distance of 1 astronomical unit (AU) and a carrier-only mode so that the measurements from different tracking passes can be easily compared. The P /N c 0 measurements from four Deep Space Network (DSN) 34-m diameter Ka-band capable antennas were compared against favorable and adverse link budget curves as a function of elevation angle. We compiled and compared the statistics of the adjusted MRO P /N c 0 measurements with analyses from other Ka-band missions. The adjusted P /N signal level c 0 statistics acquired from tracking data over these multiple missions were integrated, consolidated, and distilled. This resulted in discerning a recommended link margin that would be useful in the early planning stages of missions considering or planning to use Kaband. By employing a 4-dB margin relative to adverse link assumptions, a project can expect to achieve at least 95 percent data return. The margin can be reduced (or tightened) as knowledge of link budget parameters improves.
Details
- Volume
- 42-214
- Published
- August 15, 2018
- Pages
- 1–16
- File Size
- 2.2 MB