Photon counting detector systems on sounding rocket payloads often require interfacing asynchronous outputs with a synchronously clocked telemetry (TM) stream. Though this can be handled with an on-board computer, there are several low cost alternatives including custom hardware, microcontrollers and field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). This paper outlines how a TM interface (TMIF) for detectors on a sounding rocket with asynchronous parallel digital output can be implemented using low cost FPGAs and minimal custom hardware. Low power consumption and high speed FPGAs are available as commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products and can be used to develop the main component of the TMIF. Then, only a small amount of additional hardware is required for signal buffering and level translating. This paper also discusses how this system can be tested with a simulated TM chain in the small laboratory setting using FPGAs and COTS specialized data acquisition products.
@article{arxiv.2203.11913,
title = {A Primer for Telemetry Interfacing in Accordance with NASA Standards Using Low Cost FPGAs},
author = {Jake A. McCoy and Ted B. Schultz and James H. Tutt and Thomas Rogers and Drew M. Miles and Randall L. McEntaffer},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2203.11913},
year = {2022}
}
Comments
16 pages, 11 pages (also published as a 2015 SPIE conference proceeding)