[P-CG20] Future missions and instrumentation for space and planetary science

[PCG20-P12] Development of a Miniaturized Plasma Wave Receiver for CubeSat Using ASIC and Low-Power Processors

*Takahiro Zushi¹, Kosuke Yamamoto¹, Hirotsugu Kojima² (1.National Institute of Technology, Nara College, 2.Kyoto University)

Keywords:plasma wave, plasma wave receiver, ASIC

The space environment is filled with tenuous plasma, and in-situ observations of plasma waves using plasma wave instruments are essential for studying its properties. In recent years, scientific observations using CubeSats have become increasingly popular. However, traditional plasma wave instruments are too large and resource-intensive to be installed on CubeSats. To address this issue, we have developed a compact plasma wave receiver using an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and a low-power processor.
This receiver performs spectral observations in three frequency bands: DC–1 kHz, 1 kHz–10 kHz, and 10 kHz–100 kHz. Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) is applied to each observation result to obtain spectral data. By lowering the sampling frequency in the low-frequency band, low-power observations become feasible. In addition, ASIC technology is used to implement and miniaturise the analogue circuitry required for such observations.
In addition, FFT processing and the control of the A/D converter and ASIC are performed by a low-power processor, achieving both compactness and power efficiency. We have developed a breadboard model and confirmed that spectral observations in six channels can be achieved within a 9 cm × 9 cm size and a power consumption of less than 1 W.
In this presentation, we report on the details of the ASIC design, the breadboard model, and the performance evaluation of the developed receiver.