The Satellite Communications (SatComms) mission focuses on building and using a ground-based, mobile radio platform for communicating with satellites in low earth orbit (LEO). The communications platform will be a 2-axis (azimuthal and elevation) autonomous device that is capable of keeping its antennas tracking a satellite as it move across the sky. The final project for the SatComms mission will be to communicate with astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS).
Get every member licensed and familiar with Ham Radio communication
Design and build an autonomous, ground based, satellite tracking/communication platform
Test the platform on various satellites
Use the platform to communicate with astronauts on the ISS
Provide the communications backbone for the CubeSat mission
Future goal: build a permanent ground-based platform on the roof of Mudd
Ham radio communication and antenna construction/physics
Orbital mechanics and satellite tracking
Raspberry pi/Arduino programming
Mechanical design and fabrication
Antenna construction and physics
Mechatronics/robotics
Teamwork and program management
Basic electronics
Awarded a generous grant from the Armstrong Memorial Research Foundation (2018)
