jpparametrics / oresat-dxwifi-hardware

OreSat hardware for high speed data communications using 2.4 GHz WiFi.

oresat-dxwifi-hardware

This repository is for the DxWiFi hardware that will fly on the OreSat satellite. DxWiFi is our communication subsystem for high speed data (1 Mbps) using 2.4 GHz WiFi between the spacecraft and ground.

This is hardware for the satellite only; please see the other repos if you're looking for the OreSat Live Handheld Ground Station or the Mini-OreSat testing platform for high altitude balloons.

We intend to use "ordinary WiFi" (IEEE 802.11b) as a high speed satellite communication system. What is not ordinary is that we run the radio under the amateur radio rules and regulations (FCC Part 97) and thus can increase power levels and antenna gains necessary to make the link budget work.

Ordinary WiFi

The plan is to use the Qualcomm Atheros AR9271 USB to WiFi adapter because of the driver support in Linux.

Non ordinary bi-directional power amplifier

This project is intended to operate under the Amateur Radio Service 47CFR97 whereby larger power levels and higher gain directional antennas can be used within the 13 cm band to close the link.

NB: There are other DxWiFi materials on the PSAS GitHub repo, but those repos are deprecated.

Link budgets can be found here.