Implementation and Design of RF-Front-End Telemetry Tracking and Command Subsystem of a CubeSat with 500-km Altitude

Microsatellites in LEO usually utilize amateur radio frequency (RF) to communicate with the ground station. For communication with the Earth, the very high frequency/ultrahigh frequency (VHF/UHF) range is utilized in most of the microsatellites telemetry tracking command (TTC) subsystems. Communication is the only vital way for recognition of CubeSat when it launches into its orbit; therefore, this subsystem is required to be designed with a very accurate RF circuit. As a result, this TTC subsystem has been implemented intelligently based on three separated PCBs, receiver, transmitter, and filters. This innovative procedure for implementing the TTC board give this opportunity that every component could operate and be simulated individually and malfunctioning is easier to detect. Eventually, frequency responses for every RF block-circuit is investigated practically and an engineering CubeSat standard TTC board model is fabricated.