Advancing Ground Station Capabilities: A Web-based Application with GNU Radio for Seamless Satellite Tracking and Communication

Abstract

The authors present a web-based satellite tracking application for the automated tracking of two student-designed CubeSat satellites scheduled for launch in 2024 operating in the UHF and S-band frequency bands. Satellite signals are captured and processed by integrating GNU Radio with the Ettus Research USRP x300 SDR hardware. The application uses GNU Radio's signal processing capabilities to implement the DVB-S2 communication standard and the QPSK modulation scheme, ensuring compatibility and efficient communication with the tracked satellites. Challenges such as Doppler shift compensation, signal demodulation, and synchronization are addressed, enabling reliable and accurate satellite tracking. Integrating open-source software and libraries, such as GPredict, facilitates precise satellite position prediction, automated tracking, and communication scheduling. The application showcases the potential of open-source tools in revolutionizing satellite tracking and analysis. Overall, this work aims to improve satellite communication, space exploration, and scientific research in the upcoming era of satellite deployment.