The receiver has been designed in 2001 with a scope of the CCSDS based missions like MSG, GOES and MTSAT LRIT/HRIT as well as for NOAA and FY HRPT. The receiver was also prepared for METOP using ¾ punctured Viterbi coding. Accordingly VCS is able to update new and existing receivers to the coming METOP mission just by a firmware update.
The last test before the launch of METOP has been performed at EUMETSAT HQ in Darmstadt on 13 June 2006. VCS has connected a receiver to EUMETSAT’s RF Recorder transmitting a RF signal recorded from the METOP satellite on ground. The signal contains “real” data. Accordingly the test allows checking the demodulation, bit-synchronisation, Viterbi Decoding of the receiver as well as the frame synchronisation, Reed-Solomon decoding and CCSDS decoding to level 0 data of the acquisition software. The test was successfully completed.
VCS is now prepared for the first tests with the coming METOP satellite. For this purpose EUMETSAT’s EARS station on Gran Canaria and VCS’ own reference system will be used.
Oliver Harrmann
Director Remote Sensing Technology
VCS Aktiengesellschaft
(Source VCS)