Beacon mode service

The beacon mode service is a Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) telecommunications service aimed at spacecraft which are not communicated with via NASA's Deep Space Network. It is primarily designed to relay a spacecraft's "health" information, and secondarily its telecommunications status, using a simple signal that can be detected with a moderately-sized antenna. Beacon mode also enables spacecraft to communicate with one another on a daily basis, allowing for one spacecraft to act as a data proxy for another.

History

The beacon mode service is a new technological solution to the old problem of having to set up an active 2-way communication path with spacecraft beyond Earth orbit and more than 30 light-minutes away. It originated during the 1990s, when spacecraft transmitters became complex enough to support the service, and deep-space missions became too numerous for each to receive daily communications. == Current practice ==

Current practice

NASA generally prefers that missions use eight or fewer tones, as the New Horizons mission uses. CCSDS specifications support 16 beacon-mode tones, but this is to future proof the protocol. Typical operating parameters: Tone # • Test tone; • Nothing to report; • Ready to report; • Need help with a minor onboard problem; • Need help with an onboard problem that is hindering operations; • In safe mode due to a severe onboard problem. == Craft using beacon mode ==

Craft using beacon mode

This list is incomplete, and does not cover geosynchronous craft: • Deep Space 1 was the first spacecraft to use the service. • New Horizons mission to Pluto, was used for its 6-plus years of cruise-mode operation. • Mars Rovers, for daily data uplink notification to orbiters. Both(MER?)/all NASA Rovers are using the Proximity-1 Space Link Protocol to relay data to Earth and use beacon mode to signal that they have data to uplink. Terminated missions which used the service: • Phoenix – The Phoenix lander descended to Mars on May 25, 2008, and operated for some months. == Civil and military use ==

Civil and military use

There is no provision against civil telecommunications or military spacecraft using the beacon mode service; all CCSDS protocols are open to civilian and military use. Some satellite telecom providers have used their own forms of beacon mode service on their own craft; however, the CCSDS standard may in time displace some homebrew versions of the technology which have been deployed in the space sector outside governmental space agencies. == CCSDS frequency allocation ==

CCSDS frequency allocation

In deep-space service, the spacecraft's primary transmitter downlink frequency is used for the beacon mode service. However, for orbiter-lander missions there is a specific frequency allocation for the service. The four orbiter-lander CW beacon mode frequencies for use with the Proximity-1 protocol are • 437.1000 MHz • 440.7425 MHz • 444.3850 MHz • 448.0275 MHz The lander CW beacon frequency is 401.585625 MHz. The beacon mode can also be used to perform Doppler ranging measurements. ==See also==

Source: Wikipedia ↗

tickerdossier.com tickerdossier.substack.com