This Open Research Institute (ORI) meetup covers significant advancements in FPGA-based satellite communications and infrastructure development. Aaron presents a comprehensive end-to-end test environment for the ORI DVBS2 encoder, successfully demonstrating video transmission from MP4 to RF, and outlines plans to port this encoder to geostationary satellite platforms using the Open CPI framework. The discussion delves into the technical benefits of Generic Stream Encapsulation (GSSE) over MPEG for efficient IP data transmission in DVBS2 downlinks. Rick provides an update on major infrastructure upgrades at the Deep Space Exploration Society (DSES) site, including the installation of high-speed fiber optics and noise reduction efforts for radio astronomy, alongside critical performance testing of software-defined radios. The session concludes with Michelle detailing ORI's formal collaboration with ESA and AMSAT DL on the "Future GEO" amateur satellite project, highlighting the organization's commitment to open-source contributions, education, and scientific research in advanced space communications, including a visual demonstration of moon bounce delay-Doppler analysis.
Exploring Open Source Satellite Communications and Radio Astronomy Initiatives
0:00 ORI FPGA Project & DVBS2 Encoder: The Open Research Institute's June 24, 2025 meetup features Aaron presenting his work on the ORI DVBS2 encoder implementation.
0:46 End-to-End Encoder Demonstration: Aaron successfully established and documented a personal test environment. He demonstrated a complete end-to-end data flow: converting MP4 video to a transport stream via FFmpeg, sending it over UDP to an Analog Devices Pluto SDR (running Everist firmware with the ORI encoder embedded), which then generates DVBS2 QPSK, transmits it via RF, and is received/decoded by a British Amateur Television Club Pico tuner for video display.
2:40 Porting to Satellite Platforms: The immediate next step is to port the functional DVBS2 encoder from the Pluto SDR to more representative platforms like the Xilinx Zynq UltraScale ZC102 or ZC706, which are intended for the geostationary satellite project (Hyperia), utilizing the Open CPI framework for platform flexibility.
5:56 Receiver Side and GSSE Protocol: Aaron discusses the challenges of the receiver side, noting that the Pico tuner's USB interface is insufficient for the desired 10 Msps DVBS2 downlink. He advocates for Generic Stream Encapsulation (GSSE) over traditional MPEG for IP data to avoid MPEG's overhead, and is exploring custom PCB and FPGA solutions for higher data throughput and better GSSE packet alignment.
14:40 Opulent Voice and Wireshark Dissector Development: Paul reports progress on the Opulent Voice project, with a working Ethernet demo for packet assembly and disassembly. He is also developing a preliminary Wireshark dissector for their custom protocols, favoring C++ over Lua for its comprehensive documentation.
19:35 ESA & AMSAT DL "Future GEO" Collaboration: Michelle announces that ORI has been invited to participate in the European Space Agency (ESA) grant-funded "Future GEO" amateur satellite project, which AMSAT DL is executing. This builds on the success of the QO-100 payload. ORI will submit a proposal by June 30 outlining its potential contributions, lessons learned, and ideas for payload elements.
23:51 Workshop and Symposium Presentation: ORI plans to attend and present at the "Future GEO" workshop and AMSAT DL symposium in Bochum, Germany (September 19-21), emphasizing its expertise in open-source software-defined payload architecture, educational technology transfer, and digital communications.
31:51 Project Scope and HEO Interest: Phase 1 of the "Future GEO" project focuses on collecting trade studies and designs, with no specific launch opportunity currently associated. ESA is also interested in Highly Elliptical Orbits (HEO) alongside geostationary orbits, as HEO offers global coverage at potentially lower cost.
42:25 Moon Bounce Delay-Doppler Visualisation: Thomas shares a compelling delay-Doppler plot of moon bounces, which, while not an image, graphically represents reflections from the moon's surface, demonstrating the intricate details of delay-Doppler channels relevant to Earth-Venus-Earth (EVE) communication experiments.
47:15 DSES Infrastructure Improvements: Rick from the Deep Space Exploration Society (DSES) details significant infrastructure upgrades, including the imminent installation of three miles of fiber optics (replacing outdated DSL, reducing lightning risk), network reorganization to minimize noise sources, and relocation of a GPS experiment. These improvements will enable 24/7 operation of the 60-foot dish for hydrogen line drift scans.
56:15 SDR Performance Discrepancies: Comparative testing of B210 software-defined radios revealed that a $700 Chinese knockoff performed poorly in noise testing compared to the $2500 Edis model, deeming it unsuitable for high-precision applications like pulsar detection and EVE communications due to significant noise interference ("harmonic pulses").
1:02:15 Upcoming Events and FCC Engagement: ORI is considering an Open Source Digital Radio exhibit at Defcon in August and will attend the final meeting of the FCC Technological Advisory Council (TAC) in August, where they will contribute reports on dynamic spectrum sharing and allocation.
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