Chalmers phase noise Impact Investigation

Research Project, 2016 – 2018

Until today, the majority of telecommunication applications for FSS/BSS are using fixed LO, either by using a multiplied crystal oscillator or an oscillator locked by an integer-N PLL, because these solutions are simple, stable and readily available.
Applications using synthesized solutions are available but uncommon, and mostly focused on closed system services or constellation programs, and they are often associated with onboard processing (analog or digital).

With a synthesized local oscillator solution, RUAG can help its customers by being more flexible with regards to lead times and frequency allocations. For RUAG, this translates to increased market share, as well as helping RUAG’s customers keep their time schedules, even if unforeseen external events cause late specification changes.
The synthesized solution also opens up an opportunity for reconfigurable payloads, meaning that a RUAG converter could respond to needed changes in frequency allocations during the lifetime of the satellite, for example due to changing market conditions or even as a countermeasure to jamming. This would translate to a competitive advantage both to RUAG and its customers.