Title: Error-correcting codes for reliable communications in microgravity platforms

Authors: Décio L. Gazzoni Filho; Taufik Abrão; Marcelo Carvalho Tosin; Francisco Granziera Jr.

Addresses: Electrical Engineering Department, State University of Londrina (DEEL-UEL), Rod. Celso Garcia Cid – PR445, s/n, Campus Universitário, P.O. Box 6001, 86051-970, Londrina, PR, Brazil. ' Electrical Engineering Department, State University of Londrina (DEEL-UEL), Rod. Celso Garcia Cid – PR445, s/n, Campus Universitário, P.O. Box 6001, 86051-970, Londrina, PR, Brazil. ' Space Systems Division, Aerospace Science and Technology Department (ASE-IAE-DCTA), Institute of Aeronautics and Space, Praça Mal. Eduardo Gomes, 50, Vila das Acácias, 12228-907, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil; Electrical Engineering Department, State University of Londrina (DEEL-UEL), Rod. Celso Garcia Cid – PR445, s/n, Campus Universitário, P.O. Box 6001, 86051-970, Londrina, PR, Brazil. ' Division of Space Mechanics and Control, National Institute for Space Research, Avenida dos Astronautas, 1758, Jardim da Granja – CEP 12227-010, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil

Abstract: The PAANDA experiment was conceived to characterise the acceleration ambient of a rocket launched microgravity platform, specially the microgravity phase. The recorded data was transmitted to ground stations, leading to loss of telemetry information sent during the re-entry period. Traditionally, an error-correcting code for this channel consists of a block code with very large block size to protect against long periods of data loss. Instead, we propose the use of digital fountain codes along with conventional Reed-Solomon block codes to protect against long and short burst error periods, respectively. Aiming to use this approach for a second version of PAANDA to prevent data corruption, we propose a model for the communication channel based on information extracted from Cumã II's telemetry data, and simulate the performance of our proposed error-correcting code under this channel model. Simulation results show that nearly all telemetry data can be recovered, including data from the re-entry period.

Keywords: rocket launched microgravity platforms; acceleration data acquisition; PAANDA; error-correcting codes; digital fountain codes; reliable communications; reliability; telemetry information; re-entry; data corruption; simulation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSCPM.2012.049544

International Journal of Satellite Communications Policy and Management, 2012 Vol.1 No.2/3, pp.195 - 205

Published online: 30 Aug 2014 *

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