PAGE CONTENTS
Objectives
Mobile satellite-based communications systems will be introduced into the markets in increasing numbers. Satellite transponders carrying traffic of such systems demand challenging capabilities both from the transponder payload and from the test systems used to validate them.
We outline the customer requirements capturing the requirements of a generic MTP-RMS that supports testing and verifying mobile communications payloads. The Device Under Test (DUT) for MTP-RMS is given in the Figure. It resembles a simplified block diagram of the Unit/System to be tested and verified with the MTP-RMS, which comprises RMS FORWARD and RMS RETURN directions.
Challenges
The main problem areas are:
- Realistic simulation of signal traffic requiring hundreds of narrowband carriers.
- Several modulation schemes have to be supported simultaneously on the multi-carrier stimulation.
- Bandwidths of generated signals will exceed several 100 MHz, despite consisting of individual narrowband carriers.
- Software facilities required for generating meaningful stimulation patterns have to be developed, that are compatible with today’s instrumentation.
- Each carrier arrives weak and is more susceptible to interference through non-nonlinearities than commonplace signals uplinked via feeders.
- This is a further reason that completely new tests are required in order to validate the system via a suitable RMS.
- Validation of system requires recurrent execution of a plethora of carrier configuration permutations.
- This in turn requires rapid reconfiguration capabilities of the stimulation set-up in order to reduce the anticipated massive increase in overall measurement times.
Plan
The following table contains the proposed Milestone-Reviews (MR) and Progress Meetings (PM) in accordance with the tender conditions. The Reviews MR1, MR2 and MR3 are also coordinated with the schedules of the Alphasat RMS project.
| Milestone | Review/Meeting | Date |
| KO | Kick Off | Aug 2008 |
| PM1 | Progress Meeting 1 | Sept 2008 |
| MR1 | Detailed Design Review | Nov 2008 |
| PM2 | Progress Meeting 2 | Feb 2009 |
| MR2 | Test Readiness Review (SW) | May 2009 |
| PM3 | Progress Meeting 3 | June 2009 |
| MR3 | Acceptance Review | Nov 2009 |
| Final Presentation | September 2009 | Dec 2009 |
Current Status
The project was started in August 2008, the contract was signed in September 2008.
After a preliminary design review we made the detailed design and provided the documentation beginning of November 2008.
The Mid-Term Review 1 was held in Vienna Nov 20, 2008 (ref. ART4-MOM-SIA-MTP-A-0001).
After implementation of the Generic RMS software, the Mid-Term Review 2 was held in Vienna May 28, 2009 (ref. ART4-MOM-SIA-MTP-A-0002).
After a validation phase and implementation of the first system for Astrium, the Final Review (MR3) was held in Vienna Dec 1, 2009 (ref. ART4-MOM-SIA-MTP-A-0003).
The project is completed with delivery of the Final Documentation Package.