NASA’s Near Space Communications Space Modem Design

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STAFF ENGINEER – SIGNAL PROCESSING SYSTEMS

Interstate Electronics, Anaheim, CA – 4/89 to 3/93.

STGT Group

Lead on Executive (EXEC) for Embedded VME 68030 Spread Spectrum Space Modem (near-space communications system) for NASA.

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This is NASA’s primary communications system known as the Tracking Data Satellite System (TDRSS II). All Shuttle, Hubble Space Telescope, GOES Weather Satellite and all other low orbit satellites of NASA use this system. Designed software using ‘C’ and Assembly FW for:

  • Exec Power-on/BIT, Boot-to-RAM, VRTX32 multi-tasking O/S init, and exceptions handlers FW.
  • Exec MIL-STD 1553, IEEE-488, and RS-232 device drivers for VRTX32.
  • Application IEEE-488 instrument control/monitoring (BERT’s) using my device drivers FW.
  • Application terminal-to-satellite ranging function using DSP ASICs.

Worked on the following company-funded R&D projects:

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Provided solutions to HW/SW problems with a miniature hi-dynamics GPS receiver for a “Smart Bomb” guidance system that used(68020/32000/68331) processors + fast ASIC’s).