The HETE-II primary ground station system and electronics

Abstract

Ground stations are crucial elements in the success of a satellite mission. With the shift in spacecraft design to provide increased autonomy, the ground station design will also undergo a similar paradigm shift. This thesis describes one such ground station design, which supports the HETE-II (High Energy Transient Explorer) mission. The effort described emphasizes the highly autonomous functions the ground station will perform. An overview of the HETE-II spacecraft, the system components of the ground station, and a discussion of the RF link follows.