Automatic gain control for RF front end on GNSS RFI satellite payload
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Project and Master Subjects 2026-2027
- GNSS-R: GNSS jamming and spoofing detection and localization from space
- GNSS-R: Maritime surveilance with GNSS-R
- GNSS-R/GNSS-RFI Embedded system and processing pipeline
- Software system for new smallsat camera systems
- Automatic gain control for RF front end on GNSS RFI satellite payload
- Deployment of a telescope onboard a CubeSat
- Maritime Surveillance form Space: On-board ship-detection with an RGB camera on HYPSO2
- Generalized onboard/internal command and messaging framework
- Define a CubeSat bus architecture for a GNSS RFI mission
- Energy Budgeting for Dynamic Targeting
- Dynamic image target generation for the HYPSO satellites
- Design and Testing of a Strobing Illumination System for an Underwater Hyperspectral Camera
- LEO SatCom Signals of Opportunity for positioning, navigation and timing (PNT)
- yr.no for GNSS: Real-time service providing GNSS interference coverage
- Past Projects
Automatic gain control for RF front end on GNSS RFI satellite payload
Project description
Our team is making a receiver payload for detecting and locating Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) of GNSS signals. One important RFI detection method monitors the output from the receiver's Automatic Gain Control (AGC) and compare it to the received signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Our receiver antenna array and RF front end are made in-house and connected to a digital off-the-shelf transceiver (RFSoC 4x2). A tailored AGC must be added to this system, both as a control circuit and as a sensor for RFI detection. This means working with both RF and digital signals and circuit design.
Impact
Space technology plays a crucial role in achieving various Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the UN. A GNSS-RFI-payload has the potential to allows us to detect and monitor water vessels at sea and localize GNSS inference sources originating from sea or land. This project target
- SDG9 Industry, innovation, and infrastructure. The outcomes have an innovative and commercial potential for industry and can contribute both to new space-based infrastructure and protection of existing critical infrastructure beyond GNSS.
- SDG16 Peace, justice and strong institutions. GNSS interference monitoring is important for protecting essential services and infrastructure, both on a national and international scale.
Tasks and expected outcomes
This project is at a stage where a prototype is being developed for lab testing and basic field testing. The result of this project will be a part of a more complex engineering model. This project will consist of:
- Analysis of different options for AGC that suit our mission.
- Preliminary design of an AGC circuit.
- Development and analysis of integration methods for the AGC into the pre-existing receiver architecture.
Who we are looking for
We are seeking a highly motivated final year student in Electronics or a related field with an interest in circuit design, and the interface between radio systems, digital systems and signal processing. Extensive experience from all of those three topics is not required. Previous work experience with amplifiers is a plus. Collaboration skills and the ability to contextualize your work into a larger system is important for this project.
How we work
The student will be part of the NTNU SmallSat lab, a lab which typically hosts 10-20 master's student per semester. At the NTNU SmallSat Lab we encourage collaboration and try to get our group to help each other. To facilitate this, we as well as arrange common lunches and workshops where the students and supervisors can learn from each other. In some project we also implement a development process.