An affordable radio telescope with 3,0 meter diameter mesh dish antenna for S-band satellite communication.
Thanks to specially developed technologies, Radio2Space radio telescopes can be to support spacecraft exploration and satellite missions in Earth orbit. The user is able to use this ground station to record telemetry data transmitted to Earth via radio signals from spacecraft or perform radio science by analyzing the signal emitted by spacecraft (by adding receivers or transceivers not included with INTREPID). Radio2Space radio telescopes have very precise mounts that allow accurate tracking of spacecraft, using high directivity antennas – this reduces background noise helping to detect faint signals from spacecraft. Radio telescopes are remotely operated to control antenna position, to detect even weaker signals.
INTREPID 300S 3.0m S-band radio telescope as ground station: specifications
- Antenna diameter (m): 3
- Antenna type: Prime focus
- Working band: S-band
- Feed: S-FEED, optimised for 2200-2400 MHz
- Polarization: circular, left and right handed
- Mount: GS-100 antenna tracking system
- Pier: C106-HEAVY High load capacity pier for concrete base
- Remote control: yes
- Maximum slewing speed: 90°/min
- Weatherproof: Yes
High precision GS-100 antenna tracking system.
The INTREPID 300 radio telescope does not use an amateur radio antenna rotator, but the GS-100 antenna tracking system that we have specially designed and built to be more robust, precise and reliable. Equipped with automatic tracking and goto system controlled by the radio telescope software, it allows you to slew to and track your target with great precision. The GS-100 antenna tracking system has 100 Kg load capacity with very high precision pointing and tracking (encoders with a read resolution of 0,0015°). It can also be equipped with a special electronic security system (optional) which “parks” the antenna pointed at the Zenith (the vertical position) when the wind exceeds 50 Km/h, offering the lowest resistance to the wind where it is safely locked.
S-FEED: optimized feedhorn for 2200-2400 MHz
Developed specifically for INTREPID radio telescopes, the S-FEED feedhorn is designed for optimal illumination of the primary reflector, allowing for high gain while minimizing side lobes and the spillover effect, thus obtaining the best possible performance from the 3 meter parabolic antenna. The feedhorn is designed to allow the reception of dual circular polarizations with support for two Low Noise Amplifiers (LNA) with N-connectors (LNA units are not included with the INTREPID radio telescopes). The feedhorn is positioned at the perfect point of focus of the antenna through a rigid structure with four supports to minimize obstruction, with a focusing device to precisely focus and maximize the performance of the entire radio telescope.
C106-HEAVY: the high load capacity pier
The WEB300-5 antenna, for its large diameter, can generate a lot of force on the ground – When combined with the weight of the WP-100 mount, a very stable and robust anchoring system is required. The C106-HEAVY pier offers all of these features, and is designed to keep the INTREPID 300S radio telescope permanently installed in the field. The INTREPID 300S and the C106-HEAVY pier are designed to be installed on a reinforced concrete base, fixed by means of special high strength bolts. Along with the installation and operation manuals for the radio telescope, an example of concrete base design (that the user has to prepare to install the INTREPID 300S and that he has to verify based on terrain type of the radio telescope installation location) is supplied.
INTREPID: Apollo 12 Lunar Module that landed on the Moon just 600 feet from the planned target (Surveyor 3 probe).
INTREPID radio telescopes are named in honor of the Lunar Module “Intrepid” that landed on the Moon during the Apollo 12 mission in November 1969. Astronauts were able to land the Lunar module in the Ocean of Storms just 600 feet from the planned target: the unmanned Surveyor 3 probe that previously landed on Moon surface on April 1967. Credits: NASA.
