Design of a Multi-mission Satellite Ground Station for Education and Research

Satellite space missions need ground stations for mission control and data communication. In this paper we present a modular ground station, which will be used for nano and pico satellites. The frequency bands initially supported are VHF, UHF, and S-band around 145 MHz, 435 MHz, and 2.3 GHz, respectively. We present a flexible, layered approach, which is ideally suited for multiple missions and allows for the addition of further frequency bands and missions. Furthermore, it allows seamless inclusion of the ground station in ground station networks. The ground station is designed for research as well as education and training of students.