The Department of Physics at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona is currently seeking two (2) applicants for a research project to develop and build a ground station to track satellites. The successful applicant(s) is required to register for a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree in Applied Physics/Electronics by July 31, 2019, and will be expected to start in September 2019.

Project Title:                            Design and Build a Ground Station that Tracks Satellites

Project Keywords:                  CubeSat, Receiver, Satellite Tracking, GPS

No. of Positions Available:     Two (2)

·         One (1) Electronics/Telecommunications

·         One (1) Mechanical Engineering

Application Deadline: Thursday, July 18, 2019  

 Objectives

The primary aim of this project is to develop and build a ground station that tracks the overhead passes of specific satellites, receives downlink signals, and securely processes and forwards data according to predetermined criteria.

Background

Cube satellites (CubeSats) are small satellites that are launched in low Earth orbits (LEOs), and their most common applications include Earth monitoring, the monitoring of near-Earth atmospheric phenomenon, and communications. Satellites contain onboard systems, including payload, attitude determination and control (ADC), command and data handling (CDH), electrical power systems (EPS), structures, mechanisms, and thermal (SMT) systems, and telemetry, tracking, and command (TTC) systems.

Satellites generally utilize at least two communication links: (1) UHF/VHF to send/receive TTC signals, and (2) another RF band to downlink/forward science data. To prevent interference, these data may be transmitted on different frequency bands, such as X, C, S, and Ka bands. However, there are relatively few S-band ground stations that receive downlink signals from           S-band transceivers on CubeSats, and the Caribbean region is not well served in this regard.

Implementation and Methodology

The solution should be implemented using a satellite dish, mast, electronics controls, GPS, and by employing general principles of satellite communication systems. All design choices must be justified using appropriate techniques. Suitable components (e.g., cable and other electronics components) should be researched, designed, modelled (using suitable software tools), built (where necessary), tested, and implemented considering specific specifications.

Required Qualifications

The applicant should have obtained at least an Upper Second (2^nd) class Bachelor’s degree in Electronics, Electronics/Telecommunications Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering, and should have a good understanding of the principles of electronics, controls, articulation, RF propagation, filters, and programming. A minimum degree GPA of 3.0 is required. For the Electronics/Telecoms position, successful completion of a course in Satellite Communications would be a definite asset. 

How to Apply

Submit a cover letter and resume to louisray.harris@uwimona.edu.jm with the subject “Application for Ground Station Research Position”.