Humsat payload

The HUMPL Subsystem (Humsat Payload) is the main payload of the Humsat-D satellite. Its goal is to implement the Spacecraft-Sensor Interface (SSI), i.e. to communicate with the sensors deployed worldwide for gathering their data. This payload was completely developed by University of Vigo.

The equipment installed on the Humsat-D satellite is the first demonstrator of the payload and only implements reception instead bidirectional communication with the satellite. Payloads of future Humsat satellites will implement the complete interface.

The equipment is composed of four receivers, which allow the payload to receive simultaneous up to four packets of different sensors and, in this way, to maximize the communication capacity of the system. This subsystem also contains its own power and control stages to interface with the On-board computer and the Power Subsystem of the satellite platform.

The payload can be completely reconfigured by the system operators through ground commands to adapt the equipment to any specific condition. Among other things the configuration parameters of the receivers, such as central frequency and bandwidth, can be changed what provides redundancy in case of failure of any of them.