[CNST] NASA to launch ISS GNC testbed in 2010

[Adrian J. Hooke]

<http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/07/12/215460/nasa-to-launch-iss-gnc-testbed-in-2010.html>http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/07/12/215460/nasa-to-launch-iss-gnc-testbed-in-2010.html 


NASA to launch ISS GNC testbed in 2010
By Rob Coppinger

On one of the last Space Shuttle missions NASA intends to launch to 
the International Space Station (ISS) its communication, navigation 
and networking reconfigurable testbed (CONNECT) project's experimental payload.

The US space agency is inviting companies to enter into cost-sharing 
contracts and co-operative agreements to conduct ground and 
eventually ISS-based research to use this testbed to develop 
communications, navigation and networking technologies.

CONNECT's testbed will consist of reconfigurable software defined 
radios (SDR), radio frequency devices operating at S-, Ka- and 
L-band, and command and data handling and networking systems.

"The CONNECT [testbed] payload is an experiment planned for 
installation on an Express Logistics Carrier located on the exterior 
of the [ISS]. The payload is planned to launch aboard a Shuttle as 
early as January 2010," says NASA.

NASA wants to investigate new concepts and technologies for future 
GPS signal assessment, high data rate Ka-band operations, and 
low-cost and low-power S- and Ka-band SDR transceivers.

It also wants to advance the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of the 
agency's space telecommunications radio system architecture, proposed 
signal waveforms, operational concepts, access schemes and 
spaceflight software.

For the ISS testbed NASA is specifying to potential contractors the 
need for technologies with TRLs of at least five and above.

The TRL rating system operates from one, where the basic principles 
of a technology have been observed, through to nine for a 
flight-qualified system.
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