EsTRACE—Es-Layer TRAnsient Cloud Explorer: PlanarSat Mission Concept and Early-Phase Design (Bid, CoDR, PDR) for Sporadic-E Sensing
Source abstract
Abstract
Sporadic-E (Es) layers can strongly perturb HF/VHF propagation and create intermittent interference, motivating higher-revisit monitoring at the frequencies most affected. EsTRACE (Es-layer TRAnsient Cloud Explorer) is a PlanarSat mission concept that transmits sequential beacons in the 28/50 MHz amateur bands using FT4 (weak-signal digital) and CW (continuous wave) waveforms and leverages distributed amateur receiver networks for near-real-time SNR mapping. This paper documents the early-phase spacecraft design from the Bid/proposal phase (Bid), through the Conceptual Design Review (CoDR), to the Preliminary Design Review (PDR), using a power-first sizing loop that couples link-budget closure to duty cycle and solar-array area under a free-tumbling, batteryless constraint. The analysis supports conceptual feasibility of the architecture under stated antenna and ground-segment assumptions; on-orbit demonstration and measured RF/antenna characterization are identified as required future validation steps.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Spacecraft Design and Technology · Satellite Communication Systems · Soil Moisture and Remote Sensing
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Kluyverweg 1, 2629 HS Delft, The Netherlands
Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Istanbul Technical University, Ayazağa Campus, 34469 Maslak, Istanbul, Turkey
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