CLEANRF: RF Interference Removal for Space Links
The idea was to design and implement digital signal processing algorithms able to eliminate harmful RFI in three specific scenarios named CASE1, CASE2 and CASE3. CASE1 targets cancellation of uplinked RFI jamming sources in the Ku/Ka-band forward link of a SatCom network terminal (VSAT) using a geostationary orbit (GSO) satellite. CASE2 targets cancellation of uplinked RFI sources in the Ku/Ka-band link of the central node (hub node) of a VSAT network using a GSO satellite and SCPC DVB-S2 signals. CASE3 targets cancellation of terrestrial RFI sources in the S-band telemetry link of an EO satellite in a non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) received at a ground station.
The problems derived from RF interference (RFI) created by men hand, whether generated intentionally or not, remain as one of the main concerns of the space industry. This concern is common to navigation applications (interference in TT&C links and in the navigation, service signals themselves); to Earth Observation (EO) applications (interferences in TT&C and/or data acquisition links and radiometric-based sensors), and to Satellite Communication (SatCom) applications (interference in TT&C links and communication transponders), especially nowadays that Space environment is getting quickly more and more congested. Even though being partially addressed by technological advances, far from diminishing, RFI problems will increase due to the growing number of space missions planned and deployed in different orbits, being a threat of significant damage to satellite services, particularly those of critical nature.