Alma Mater Ground Station transceiver: A software defined radio for satellite communications

Software Defined Radio (SDR) technology offers a great opportunity for enabling spacecraft (S/C) engineers to create reconfigurable, lightweight communications systems that can be easily prototyped and, if needed, upgraded to add improved functionalities and support new protocols. In the framework of ESA's European Student Earth Orbiter (ESEO) project, the University of Bologna is responsible for the mission control centre, and is currently developing a SDR ground station (G/S) section, to enhance the current capabilities of the existing Alma Mater Ground Station (AMGS). The enhanced G/S will be used in both uplink and downlink operations, communicating with the ESEO S/C using amateur-radio frequencies at UHF-band. It is also capable of receiving data from several other small satellites transmitting at UHF-band and orbiting in low Earth orbit (LEO), offering a great hands-on experience to students.