Design and flight results of the VHF/UHF communication system of Longjiang lunar microsatellites

Mingchuan Wei, Chaoran Hu, Daniel Estévez, Mier Tai, Yuhao Zhao, Jiahe Huang, Cees Bassa, Tammo Dijkema, Xibin Cao () and Feng Wang ()
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Mingchuan Wei: Harbin Institute of Technology
Chaoran Hu: Harbin Institute of Technology
Daniel Estévez: Oceano Atlantico 38, Tres Cantos
Mier Tai: Harbin Institute of Technology
Yuhao Zhao: Harbin Institute of Technology
Jiahe Huang: Harbin Institute of Technology
Cees Bassa: C.A. Muller Radio Astronomy Station
Tammo Dijkema: C.A. Muller Radio Astronomy Station
Xibin Cao: Harbin Institute of Technology
Feng Wang: Harbin Institute of Technology

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract As a part of China’s Chang’e-4 lunar far side mission, two lunar microsatellites for low frequency radio astronomy, amateur radio and education, Longjiang-1 and Longjiang-2, were launched as secondary payloads on 20 May 2018 together with the Queqiao L2 relay satellite. On 25 May 2018, Longjiang-2 successfully inserted itself into a lunar elliptical orbit of 357 km × 13,704 km, and became the smallest spacecraft which entered lunar orbit with its own propulsion system. The satellite carried the first amateur radio communication system operating in lunar orbit, which is a VHF/UHF software defined radio (SDR) designed for operation with small ground stations. This article describes and evaluates the design of the VHF/UHF radio and the waveforms used. Flight results of the VHF/UHF radio are also presented, including operation of the radio, performance analysis of downlink signals and the first lunar orbit UHF very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) experiment.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17272-8

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