| Name: | DHARMESH TRIVEDI |
| Affiliation: | TATA INSTITUTE OF FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH, BALLOON FACILITY |
| Conference ID : | ASI2022_515 |
| Title : | Light weight, low-cost telemetry system for balloon-borne experiments |
| Authors : | Dharmesh B. Trivedi, B. Suneel Kumar, D. Anand, D. K. Ojha |
| Abstract Type: | Poster |
| Abstract Category : | Instrumentation and Techniques |
| Abstract : | The Balloon Facility of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR-BF), Hyderabad launches zero pressure scientific balloons every year for research in the field of astronomy, astrobiology and atmospheric science. The instrumentation group provides the complete data downlink, uplink and tracking support. In this paper, we will present a low bit rate telemetry system using an iMet (InterMet) radiosonde, a microcontroller-based interface board and LabVIEWTM based decoding software. The complete system has been developed to transmit low bit rate serial data of onboard load line Telecommand and Timer status information directly to ground receiving system, in orientation type of payload where physical cable connection is not possible between transmitter at main payload and load line Telecommand and Timer system. It is a light weight and low-cost telemetry system and therefore can be also used in a rubber or small balloon-borne experiment; it operates in license-free frequency band therefore can be used from any location. The ground receiving system also requires few components which makes it compact, lightweight, portable system which can be easily carried out and deployed to conduct any remote balloon flights. Many such receiving systems can be deployed at a calculated distance to extend the communication range. Further development work is in progress to make above telemetry system as a universal system which will be used to transmit low bit rate serial or various format data of astronomical, atmospheric or any onboard science payloads. It will be also used to transmit data of multiple instruments attached to a single iMet radiosonde through “daisy chaining”. |