This page contains a list of verification activities and links their evidence.

Verified Activities

Activities that were verified during Phases A, B, C, or D

V-COM-0110

Review the interface design for the communications subsystem and verify that communications with CDH utilize CAN-bus.

Verified: Phase C

Compliance Notes:

• The communications shall use the Cubesat space protocol for data interfaces and connections.

  • Evidence: The communication board is designed to communicate with the transceiver through the 20 pin header and the communication protocol used is CSP.

• The transceiver will receive commands from GS. Raw data will be processed [(de)packetized and (de)modulated] by the transceiver. Data will be transferred from the transceiver to CDH via the 20 pin FSI header and the comms board.

  • Evidence: The schematic for comms is designed to accommodate the 20 pin header, traces and wires that carry the CAN signal to CDH.

• The communications system shall receive requested data from the CDH subsystem.

  • Evidence: The 20 pin header is the only access point to send/receive data to/from the transceiver. No other plans were designed to interface with the transceiver. The transceiver only responds to specific commands issued using CSP while using the CAN bus.

  • Evidence: The schematic for the the communication board shows the traces that goes form CDH to the transceiver.

V-COM-0120

Review the communications system design that it includes two connection interface lines designated for power and ground that connects the intersubsystem connector of the module.

Verified: Phase B

Compliance Notes: COMS gets power from the power subsystem through the intermodule connector that terminates in CDH. The CAN signals and power for comms board is obtained through CDH from 4 wires. Wire length measured after testing is 6 cm. 4 wires needs to be twisted pair.

Evidence: COMS & CDH

V-COM-0121

Verify that the power interface connects to a voltage regulator that steps down the power voltage to the required level of the transceiver, and that the voltage regulator can handle 6.0V.

Verified: Phase C

Compliance Notes:

• Reviewed Buck Converter input voltage 3.1V~17V, see datasheet

• Within the capabilities of the buck converter, Fixed output voltage of 3.3V

• VCC input voltage to the transceiver is 3.3V to 3.4V. See Page 12 -13, Section 7 & 8

• The buck converter receives unregulated voltage from the power control unit (see interface block diagram), the COMMS board has a 20-pin FSI connector that interfaces with the transceiver (see schematic).

V-COM-0122

Test the voltage regulator on the comms PWB with a power supply and verify that the output voltage is maintained at 3.3V.

Verified: Phase D, Integration

Compliance Notes: Within the capabilities of the buck converter.

Evidence: see datasheet

V-COM-0130

Test successful data transfer between CDH and the communications system by sending commands over CAN Bus.

Verified: Phase D, Integration

Compliance Notes:

V-COM-0140

Feed data to the communications subsystem to "transmit", transmit data over coax/RF connector, check the output "transmission" for correct and proper FSK modulation and CSP packetization and AX.25 frames using a computer running GNUradio

Not Verified: Phase D, Integration

V-COM-0150

Send simulated telemetry from CDH to COMMS for transmission, receive transmission with an SDR and analyze received data on a computer to verify modulation and packetization.

Not Verified: Phase D, FLATSAT

Compliance Notes:

V-COM-0160

Perform radiation pattern testing on the monopole antenna to measure gain and verify that it meets the 1dB specification.

Not Verified: Phase D, Isolated Subsystem

V-COM-0170

Perform radiation pattern testing on the monopole antenna in a stowed position within the deployment housing to measure gain and verify that it meets the 1dB specification.

Not Verified: Phase D, Functional

V-COM-0180

Perform radiation pattern testing of the monopole antenna with the spacecraft structure and measure gain to verify that it meets the 1dB specification.

Not Verified: Phase D, Functional

V-COM-0190

Verify that any COTS components used in the COMMS module do not contain non-metallic materials with a total mass loss greater than 1.0%.

Verified: Phase C

Evidence: Individual Datasheet has been reviewed, see datasheet and BOM. The materials were cross-checked from March-2017-Outgas-Data excel sheet

V-COM-0210

Verify that the transceiver is capable of a bandwidth of at least 4.8 kHz.

Verified: Phase C

Evidence: See page 14 on the AX100 datasheet, section 9.1.2. The plot in figure 3 shows that the transceiver is capable of at least 4.8 kHz within the amateur frequency band.

V-COM-0220

Transmit data using the transceiver while specifying the channel bandwidth to be >4.8 kHz, and verify using coax connections and a spectrum analyzer.

Not Verified: Phase D, Integration

V-COM-0230

Transmit data using the transceiver while specifying the channel bandwidth to be >4.8 kHz, and verify using antennas, SDR, and a spectrum analyzer.

Not Verified: Phase D, Isolated Subsystem

V-COM-0240

Verify that the transceiver is capable of a data rate = 9600 bps.

Verified: Phase B

Evidence: See page 21.

V-COM-0250

Transmit data using the transceiver over coaxial cables with 9600 bps and verify datarate using a computer.

Not Verified: Phase D, Integration

V-COM-0260

Transmit data using the transceiver and antenna with 9600 bps and verify datarate using SDR/computer.

Not Verified: Phase D, Isolated Subsystem