IngeniArs Integrates Innovation in SATCOM Using NI’s Data Link

IngeniArs: Innovating in Satellite Communication 

Italian startup IngeniArs develops high-speed data transmission technologies for satellite communication. They create IP cores, macro-cells implementing specific functionalities designed to be reused in different designs with the aim to accelerate system development, as stand-alone hardware blocks for sophisticated SATCOM and data links, making FPGA and ASIC integration highly efficient. These cores are integrated hardware components built to meet specified standards, similar to software drivers, which reduces the need for specialized expertise and lengthy development periods.

IngeniArs has a large portfolio of IP cores for different space applications: data link between different onboard units such as Spacewire, SpaceFibre, and WizardLink; data processing such as the innovative GPU@SAT core enabling AI algorithms on board; and satellite communications both RF and optical for satellite-ground-satellite and inter-satellite links. IngeniArs collaborated with NI to test and validate their SATCOM IP cores using the NI Data Link Test Framework - NI, which enabled them to simulate realistic satellite communication scenarios. IngeniArs’ partnership with NI emerged from the need for a robust, compact validation platform to enable high-bandwidth applications while also addressing the problems of competing with other bigger players in the industry.

For IngeniArs, reliable SATCOM performance is contingent upon the validation of high-complexity IP cores. Finding compatible hardware and software solutions is difficult for IP core providers, particularly when SATCOM requirements are complicated and require high data rates. As the difficulty becomes exacerbated since a high-bandwidth RF system is required as a front end for an efficient signal transmission and reception. IngeniArs used NI’s Data Link Test Framework to validate communication protocols between satellite and ground stations, a key capability they strived to achieve. NI technology offered a brilliantly capable, compact integrated solution which addressed both RF front-end and digital signal processing needs. Especially with limited resources, finding suitable hardware and software solutions that handle such data rates and complexity needs is very challenging.

NI’s Data Link Test Framework

The NI Data Link Test Framework - NI offers a comprehensive solution for the high-performance demands of SATCOM and telemetry systems validation. As small-satellite constellations continue to grow in scale, ranging from a few to thousands of rapidly orbiting satellites, the challenge of maintaining seamless connectivity between inter-satellite and ground station data links becomes increasingly complex. NI’s framework addresses this by providing a flexible platform capable of handling a variety of telemetry, tracking, and control (TT&C) requirements through a combination of cutting-edge RF technology and adaptable software defined radio (SDR) implementations.

The NI PXI Vector Signal Transceiver (VST) is the central RF technology for this solution. On its own, the VST can transmit and receive TT&C and SATCOM data link signals performing key signal fidelity measurements such as modulation accuracy, transmitting power, and more, which are vital for ensuring high signal integrity in SATCOM applications. To meet the demands of modular and scalable SATCOM systems, particularly those with electronically scanned array (ESA) antennas that can dynamically adjust beams without mechanical movement, the VST is capable of rapid, precise signal processing. With the addition of a PXI Express FlexRIO coprocessor, the VST can be configured for full-rate streaming to and from an open FPGA, which supports real-time, inline signal processing and complex channel modeling, effectively transforming it into an RF channel emulator for full system-level validation.

The ESA technology used in SATCOM systems allows multiple satellites to be managed within a single field of view, and NI’s VST, enhanced by the FlexRIO coprocessor, accommodates this with precision. The VST’s RF channel emulation capabilities allow it to validate entire systems within these dynamic satellite constellations, providing the adaptive and reconfigurable support required for protocols like the Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS). The VST-FlexRIO setup combines to emulate challenging environments, ensuring that each component meets the necessary performance requirements for real-world deployment.

For digital system test, the NI FlexRIO modules support custom configurations to validate satellite payload subsystems with high fidelity. FlexRIO combines an FPGA with serial or parallel digital I/O, enabling engineers to import custom digital protocols and emulate digital interfaces without the need for custom hardware. This flexibility allows satellite communication engineers to validate data links and payload subsystems, meeting precise RF signal fidelity and protocol validation requirements while also addressing high-speed digital system test needs.

 Overall, the NI Data Link Test Framework’s modular PXI Express platform empowers users to customize their setups to meet specific I/O performance requirements. What distinguishes NI’s Data Link Test Framework is its use of commercial-off-the-shelf modular hardware and flexible software tools for consolidated, scalable systems. Additionally, it enables simultaneous RF parametric testing and real-time hardware-in-the-loop functionality. Moreover, it provides a turnkey framework for achieving the full rate of data movement between NI VST and NI FlexRIO devices.

Integrating IP  

For IngeniArs, NI’s Data Link Test Framework proved to be the perfect fit. IngeniArs successfully integrated their proprietary SATCOM IPs within NI’s framework, utilizing FlexRIO for advanced signal processing and the VST for RF management. The adaptable architecture allowed IngeniArs to seamlessly integrate and analyze their IP while efficiently deploying their IP core for the CCSDS 131.2-B-1 transmitter and receiver chains, eliminating the need to develop an RF system from scratch.

The integration centered on embedding IngeniArs’ IP within NI’s FlexRIO-7903 digital processor, where critical functions such as encoding and modulation were implemented. Once the IP was integrated, a bit file was generated, establishing all necessary connections to actual RF hardware for comprehensive RF signal testing. This capability enabled IngeniArs to focus on refining their IP design while maintaining high data rates and signal fidelity critical for complex SATCOM applications.

NI’s Data Link Test Framework further enhanced the system’s capabilities by allowing on-the-fly configuration of IP parameters through the interface provided by the IP, such as axi4Lite or axi4Stream, for example. Different parameters could be changed in real time and the effect on the transmission chain monitored immediately thanks to the very intuitive Graphical User Interface. For example, the specific modulation and coding (MODCOD) scheme applied to the transmission can be modified and the effect on the profile of the signal and the constellation graph monitored. NI’s compact and integrated hardware played a pivotal role in validating complex SATCOM designs, enabling IngeniArs to achieve rapid and streamlined deployment. This integration represents a significant advantage for FPGA developers, facilitating direct connectivity to NI hardware and real-world RF signal testing.

Key Takeaways

NI’s end-to-end validation solutions provide the reliability and performance necessary to tackle the challenges in satellite communications. By enabling seamless IP integration and eliminating the need to develop an RF system from scratch, NI’s adaptable Data Link Test Framework architecture empowers SATCOM application teams to focus on refining their designs while ensuring high data rates and signal fidelity—critical for advanced. This integration also represents a transformative advantage for FPGA developers, facilitating direct connectivity to NI hardware and enabling robust real-world RF signal testing.

Leveraging NI’s open, software-defined platform, enterprises can quickly create domestic early-stage prototypes while guaranteeing the stability required for deployment in practical applications. Furthermore, NI’s commitment to durability and reliability makes our platform an excellent alternative for businesses looking to distinguish themselves in competitive marketplaces. With advanced validation tools and a flexible architecture, NI’s Telemetry and Datalink Test Framework enables satellite and telemetry communication leaders to achieve precision, agility, and success in a rapidly changing technical environment.