Small Deep Space Transponder

Small Deep Space Transponder

The Small Deep Space Transponder is a transponder designed by JPL specifically for deep space probes.[1] It unifies a number of communication functions - receiver, command detector, telemetry modulator, exciters, beacon tone generator, and control functions - into one 3-kg package. The SDST is designed to handle X band uplink and both X band and Ka band downlink. JPL estimates that performing the same functions with separate units (as was done previously) requires over twice the mass and 4 or 5 individual subassemblies.[2]

Functions

The capabilities of the SDST include:[3]

Missions

SDST has been used in the following missions:[4]

As many tightly constrained, high-performance systems, the SDST has a number of idiosyncrasies in operation.[5] However, as the Dawn telecom 'lessons learned' section points out, the use of common hardware such as the SDST allows knowledge of these characteristics from previous projects.[5]

References

  1. Sam Zingales, "Small Deep-Space Transponder Development," http://deepspace.jpl.nasa.gov/technology/TMOT_News/DEC95/zingales.htm (Dead site: see archived version, retrieved 11 March 2015)
  2. "Technology: SMALL DEEP SPACE TRANSPONDER". JPL.
  3. Chien-Chung Chen, Shervin Shambayati, Andrew Makovsky, F. H. Taylor, Martin I. Herman, Samuel H. Zingales, Carl Nuckolls, Keith Siemsen. "Small Deep Space Transponder (SDST) DS1 Technology Validation Report" (PDF).
  4. "NMP (New Millennium Program) Scorecard".
  5. 1 2 3 Jim Taylor (August 2009). "Dawn Telecommunications" (PDF). JPL.
  6. Jim Taylor, Stan Butman, Chad Edwards, Peter Ilott, Richard Kornfeld, Dennis Lee, Scott Shaffer, Gina Signori (August 2010). "Phoenix Telecommunications" (PDF). JPL.
  7. Andre Makovsky, Peter Ilott, Jim Taylor (2009). "Mars Science Laboratory Telecommunications System Design" (PDF). JPL.
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