CAPE-4 Collaboration
MSU and ULL Join Forces
Mission Statement: A collaborative payload mission aboard ULL’s CAPE-4 satellite to test data transmission and ground station operations for CubeSat MSU’s 1-MS Mission.
Experiment Description
Data Transfer Demonstration
The payload will be loaded with example images and data of equivalent or greater size than is expected from 1-Mississippi. For approximately a full week, the satellite will point at the MSU ground station during its daily ten-minute pass over the southeastern United States. During these passes, the pre-prepared images will be downloaded from the ground station and the quality will be analyzed. Data collected by CAPE-4’s main payload will also be transmitted through CubeSat at MSU’s experimental communications system.
Payload
Communications System
The payload centers on a Raspberry Pi computing system with a custom PCB connected via 40 header pins. It uses a LoRa SX1280 radio module transmitting at 2.4 GHz and includes voltage regulation circuitry for stable operation. The system connects to ULL’s satellite bus via CANBus with a 5V power rail supplied by CAPE-4. All payload code is maintained in the club’s GitHub repository.
NOAA data collected during ground station transmission tests
Ground Station
MSU Ground Station
The MSU ground station features a three-meter-tall ground antenna and dish operating in the S-band. The station will have approximately a ten-minute contact window with CAPE-4 during each pass over the southeastern United States. The final station location will be determined by small-scale radio interference tests conducted on campus to ensure optimal signal quality.
Mission Objectives
Establish Satellite Contact
Make strong, continual contact with the CAPE-4 satellite from the MSU ground station
Confirm System Compatibility
Confirm ground station and instrument compatibility with the CAPE-4 communications payload
High Quality Data Transfer
Receive high quality images within a single pass of the satellite over the southeastern United States
Mission Timeline
From design to delivery: the CAPE-4 payload and ground station development roadmap
Spring
Design Development & Review
Payload circuit diagram, block diagram, link budget, and BOM design review. Ground station site surveys and final design development.
Summer
Procurement
Component procurement for both payload and ground station systems
Fall
Payload Assembly & Delivery
Assembly and testing of payload systems, deliver to University of Louisiana Lafayette for CAPE-4 integration
Fall
Ground Station Assembly & Testing
Assembly and comprehensive testing of MSU ground station systems