Premium
Experimental validation of a dual uplink multifrequency dispersive noise calibration scheme for Deep Space tracking
Author(s) -
Mariotti G.,
Tortora P.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
radio science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.371
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1944-799X
pISSN - 0048-6604
DOI - 10.1002/rds.20024
Subject(s) - telecommunications link , noise (video) , computer science , ka band , calibration , nasa deep space network , remote sensing , electronic engineering , physics , telecommunications , engineering , artificial intelligence , geology , image (mathematics) , quantum mechanics , astronomy , spacecraft
We discuss the implementation and effectiveness of a dispersive noise multifrequency calibration scheme for Deep Space tracking. We show that the combination of two phase‐coherent links at X band and Ka‐band, with two separate uplink carriers, can provide an effective plasma and ionospheric noise removal, in the order of 75% of the plasma noise affecting the Ka‐band link. This algorithm, which we refer to as “Dual Uplink, Dual Downlink”, shows a modest loss in the radio link stability, if compared to the complete, state‐of‐the‐art calibration achieved by a more complex radio system, which supplements the two separate uplinks and downlinks at X band and Ka‐band with an additional “cross‐link” (X‐up/Ka‐down). The calibration accuracy of these two algorithms is thoroughly compared to define their advantages and shortcomings. Finally, Cassini's multifrequency tracking data acquired in 2002 during a General Relativity solar conjunction experiment aimed at the estimation of the parametrized post Newtonian parameter γ were reanalyzed to assess the capability of the Dual Uplink, Dual Downlink calibration algorithm to support accurate radio science experiments.