Satellite Payloads

Payload Data Handling & Transmission (PDHT)

High data rate Ka-band downlink to ground from Low Earth Orbit. The PDHT features baud rates up to 1.4 Gsps and user data speeds up to 5 Gbps, and an internal 3.8 TB Solid State Disk storage. It supports the frequency band 25.5-27.0 GHz with built-in 10W power amplifier, and is compatible with leading downlink service providers like KSAT.

IoT SDR Payload (ISP)

The most flexible and frequency agile SDR transceiver for Low Earth Orbit. The ISP features 2 phase synchronous transceiver chains for bandwidths up to 200 MHz. Each transceiver can be connected to 3 different antennas. The ISP covers the transmit and receive frequency bands 1-6 GHz, with extended custom frequency bands available on request. The default firmware supports a spectrum analyzer, IQ sampler and IoT example transmitter. Further transmit and receive features are available on request. A software sandbox with an API to the payload firmware allows for the user to safely upload and run their own C++ or Python code on the ISP in orbit.

Software Defined Radio platform

We have developed our own Software Defined Radio Platform, the WideNorth SSDR, that is tailored for use in high-end satellite communication applications. This is a powerful system on a chip (SoC) FPGA platform where SoC FPGA modules and radio front-end modules can be plugged into a carrier board using FMC+ connectors. The SoC modules can be delivered with up to 2 Xilinx UltraScale+ ZU11EG or the ZU19EG modules. Some applications supported on our SSDR platform:

• Satellite Link Compensator - compensating for Doppler and delay changes from satellites in non-geostationary orbits
• Ground Support Equipment (GSE) for satellite payloads
• IoT gateway for extremely low SNR satellite communication
• Advanced modem and signal processing functions

For further inquiry please contact us at post@widenorth.com

One of WideNorth’s goals is to participate in challenging research projects and cooperate closely with universities and research institutes. We have been awarded several research contracts with the European Space Agency (ESA) and work closely with the following partners:

We are continuously looking for new engineers to join our team and always have open positions for:

• Experienced and skilled engineers
• Young - possibly freshly graduated - engineers that are skilled theoretically

Are you motivated by working with technically challenging research and product development in teams with skilled colleagues? Are you already - or have you decided to become - an expert in one or more of the following fields?

• Wireless communication
• Signal processing
• FPGA development
• Embedded software development
• Electronic hardware development

Would you like to be able to influence which type of development activities and which projects you are assigned to? Are you motivated by working on satellite communication and development for satellite ground equipment and/or satellite payloads?

Then you should consider applying for a job at WideNorth.

Get in touch at post@widenorth.com

Students

WideNorth has a tradition for hiring students for temporary assignments. We continuously offer 1-3 students a longer intern assignment, as well as summer internships for 2-5 students. We are looking for summer interns with background and interest in one or more of the following fields:

• Wireless Communication (signal processing/communication theory)
• Embedded Software Development
• FPGA Development (VHDL)
• Electronic Hardware Development

We always try to assign technically challenging and relevant tasks to our students. Examples of former student projects:

• Developing signal processing modules for DVB-S2 protocol (Matlab and VHDL design/test)
• Design and implementation of a channel simulator for high bandwidth satellite communication supporting bandwidths up to 1.5 GHz
• Development of a CAN bus interface for management of payloads on low earth orbit satellites
• Python framework for developing- and testing satellite systems (e.g. developing test program for hard-disks, advanced generic plotting functions)

If you are passionate about signal processing and advanced electronics product development, feel free to apply for an internship at WideNorth. Please submit your CV, transcript of grades, and a motivation letter to post@widenorth.com.

WideNorth sponsors student organizations that work voluntarily with development activities similar to what we do at WideNorth:

To get in touch with us, and for any inquiries, please send us an email at post@widenorth.com

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