Plan
The purpose of RATATOSK was to demonstrate high-bandwidth Xband communication and thermal imaging from the stratosphere. Its objectives included validating reliable real-time data transmission, capturing thermal imagery for ecological monitoring, and providing students with hands-on aerospace engineering experience.
The project addressed a key technical challenge in remote sensing from high-altitude platforms: achieving high-rate, reliable data transmission from a moving, unstable platform with limited power. RATATOSK’s solution was a custom-engineered X-band (8 GHz) radio link, capable of streaming thermal images to a ground station at speeds of up to 40 Mbit/s, even under the dynamic conditions of balloon flight.
A secondary objective was to explore the potential of thermal imaging for environmental monitoring, particularly wildlife tracking. The thermal camera was tested under the extreme conditions of the upper atmosphere, including low temperatures and pressures, to assess operational reliability and imaging accuracy. Pre-flight calibrations, in-flight telemetry monitoring, and post-flight analysis ensured robust system performance.
Target
Validate the use of a directional, high-frequency radio link (X-band) for live data transmission from a balloon-borne platform. The system includes:
- Custom RF front-end design
- Link budget analysis and optimization
- Onboard error detection and data buffering
- Ground station reception and decoding system
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