<s>
The	O
Frontier	B-Device
Radio	I-Device
is	O
a	O
family	O
of	O
software-defined	B-Architecture
radios	I-Architecture
developed	O
by	O
the	O
Johns	O
Hopkins	O
University	O
Applied	O
Physics	O
Laboratory	O
(	O
or	O
APL	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Three	O
variants	O
have	O
been	O
developed	O
:	O
the	O
Frontier	B-Device
Radio	I-Device
(	O
FR	O
)	O
,	O
the	O
Frontier	B-Device
Radio	I-Device
Lite	O
(	O
FR	O
Lite	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Frontier	B-Device
Radio	I-Device
Virtual	O
Radio	O
(	O
FR	O
VR	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
,	O
the	O
Frontier-S	O
is	O
a	O
licensed	O
derivative	O
manufactured	O
by	O
commercial	O
aerospace	O
company	O
Rocket	O
Lab	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
creation	O
of	O
the	O
FR	O
family	O
was	O
predated	O
by	O
the	O
transceivers	O
built	O
for	O
the	O
New	O
Horizons	O
,	O
TIMED	B-Protocol
,	O
and	O
CONTOUR	B-Device
spacecraft	O
,	O
all	O
of	O
which	O
required	O
lightweight	O
transceivers	O
with	O
low	O
power	O
consumption	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Based	O
on	O
what	O
they	O
learned	O
from	O
these	O
missions	O
,	O
APL	O
saw	O
the	O
opportunity	O
to	O
build	O
a	O
general-purpose	O
radio	O
with	O
even	O
lower	O
SWaP	O
(	O
Size	O
,	O
Weight	O
,	O
and	O
Power	O
)	O
as	O
a	O
software-defined	B-Architecture
radio	I-Architecture
platform	O
usable	O
by	O
any	O
aerospace	O
organization	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
version	O
was	O
modified	O
for	O
the	O
much	O
longer	O
PSP	O
mission	O
with	O
updates	O
such	O
as	O
software	O
enhancements	O
to	O
improve	O
downlink	O
frame	O
rates	O
,	O
a	O
transceiver	O
fit	O
to	O
operate	O
at	O
higher	O
frequency	B-Algorithm
bands	I-Algorithm
like	O
X	B-Algorithm
and	O
Ka	O
band	O
,	O
and	O
hardware	O
enhancements	O
to	O
increase	O
processing	O
capacity	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
encouraged	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
the	O
Frontier	B-Device
Radio	I-Device
Lite	O
,	O
a	O
much	O
smaller	O
radio	O
for	O
resource-constrained	O
small	O
satellite	O
missions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Next	O
came	O
the	O
Frontier	B-Device
Radio	I-Device
Virtual	O
Radio	O
,	O
intermediate	O
between	O
the	O
FR	O
and	O
the	O
FR	O
Lite	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
grant	O
led	O
to	O
the	O
creation	O
of	O
the	O
heritage	O
Frontier	B-Device
Radio	I-Device
(	O
FR	O
)	O
,	O
built	O
for	O
near	O
and	O
deep	O
space	O
applications	O
and	O
so	O
far	O
unmatched	O
in	O
capability	O
,	O
SWaP	O
,	O
and	O
radiation	O
tolerance	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
heritage	O
FR	O
has	O
two	O
main	O
versions	O
:	O
a	O
near	O
space	O
radio	O
that	O
operates	O
at	O
S-band	B-Algorithm
,	O
like	O
the	O
one	O
that	O
flew	O
on	O
the	O
VAP	O
mission	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
deep	O
space	O
application	O
that	O
operates	O
at	O
X/Ka	O
-band	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
(	O
The	O
X-band	B-Algorithm
digital	O
receiver	O
on	O
the	O
deep	O
space	O
radio	O
is	O
actually	O
a	O
modified	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
receiver	O
on	O
the	O
New	O
Horizons	O
spacecraft	O
.	O
)	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Frontier	B-Device
Radio	I-Device
Lite	O
is	O
the	O
smaller	O
version	O
of	O
its	O
sibling	O
,	O
the	O
Frontier	B-Device
Radio	I-Device
,	O
fitting	O
all	O
of	O
its	O
systems	O
onto	O
a	O
single	O
card	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
original	O
S-band	B-Algorithm
operator	O
was	O
the	O
first	O
in	O
the	O
family	O
to	O
be	O
repgrogrammable	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
is	O
a	O
two-way	O
radio	O
operating	O
at	O
S-band	B-Algorithm
,	O
and	O
the	O
second	O
is	O
a	O
L-band	O
receiver	O
for	O
GPS	O
L1	O
&	O
L2	O
,	O
renamed	O
the	O
Extensible	O
Global	O
Navigation	O
System	O
(	O
EGNS	O
)	O
n	O
.	O
There	O
are	O
also	O
,	O
as	O
of	O
August	O
2018	O
,	O
two	O
other	O
board	O
types	O
are	O
in	O
development	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
FR	O
Lite	O
that	O
could	O
support	O
up	O
to	O
X-band	B-Algorithm
and	O
Ka-band	O
is	O
planned	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
FR	O
Lite	O
is	O
built	O
with	O
a	O
reprogrammable	O
field-programmable	B-Architecture
gate	I-Architecture
array	I-Architecture
(	O
FPGA	B-Architecture
)	O
instead	O
of	O
a	O
single-use	O
array	O
,	O
greatly	O
decreasing	O
development	O
total	O
cost	O
to	O
sponsors	O
by	O
allowing	O
further	O
flexibility	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
also	O
has	O
an	O
enormous	O
SWaP	O
reduction	O
compared	O
to	O
the	O
FR	O
;	O
is	O
its	O
mass	O
and	O
volume	O
are	O
less	O
than	O
25%	O
of	O
the	O
FR	O
’s	O
,	O
and	O
its	O
receive	O
and	O
transmit	O
modes	O
use	O
less	O
than	O
30%	O
of	O
the	O
total	O
FR	O
power	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Frontier	B-Device
Radio	I-Device
Virtual	O
Radio	O
(	O
FR	O
VR	O
)	O
is	O
the	O
newest	O
addition	O
to	O
the	O
FR	O
family	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
does	O
this	O
with	O
two	O
cards	O
:	O
a	O
single-board	B-Device
computer	I-Device
card	O
(	O
SBC	O
)	O
to	O
handle	O
digital	O
content	O
and	O
an	O
RF	O
card	O
(	O
RFC	O
)	O
comprising	O
all	O
analog	O
hardware	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
original	O
has	O
the	O
capability	O
to	O
operate	O
up	O
through	O
X-band	B-Algorithm
for	O
the	O
receiver	O
and	O
transmitter	O
;	O
the	O
second	O
version	O
has	O
capability	O
for	O
up	O
and	O
downlink	O
at	O
X/Ka	O
-band	O
with	O
a	O
L-band	O
receiver	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
SBC	O
only	O
uses	O
about	O
20%	O
of	O
the	O
reprogrammable	O
FPGA	B-Architecture
firmware	O
to	O
operate	O
all	O
digital	O
processes	O
of	O
the	O
FR	O
VR	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Besides	O
the	O
SWaP	O
saving	O
updates	O
and	O
the	O
reprogrammable	O
FPGA	B-Architecture
,	O
the	O
VR	O
retains	O
a	O
lot	O
of	O
similarity	O
to	O
the	O
FR	O
;	O
it	O
even	O
has	O
the	O
same	O
radiation	O
tolerance	O
and	O
high	O
reliability	O
of	O
its	O
parent	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Concerning	O
available	O
frequency	B-Algorithm
bands	I-Algorithm
,	O
the	O
FR	O
VR	O
has	O
four	O
available	O
RF	O
chains	O
,	O
allowing	O
the	O
current	O
version	O
to	O
operate	O
up	O
through	O
X-band	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
downlink	O
data	O
rates	O
of	O
the	O
FR	O
VR	O
are	O
limited	O
to	O
10	O
Msps	O
(	O
in	O
comparison	O
to	O
the	O
FR	O
,	O
which	O
has	O
downlink	O
symbol	O
rates	O
at	O
X-band	B-Algorithm
up	O
to	O
100	O
Msps	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Also	O
,	O
the	O
FR	O
VR	O
does	O
not	O
yet	O
have	O
the	O
capability	O
for	O
Ka-band	O
operation	O
,	O
but	O
there	O
are	O
plans	O
to	O
incorporate	O
a	O
multi-chip	B-Algorithm
module	I-Algorithm
(	O
MCM	O
)	O
to	O
accomplish	O
this	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Frontier-S	O
is	O
a	O
variant	O
of	O
the	O
Frontier	B-Device
radio	I-Device
manufactured	O
by	O
United	O
States-based	O
aerospace	O
company	O
Rocket	O
Lab	O
,	O
who	O
licensed	O
the	O
design	O
in	O
2021	O
for	O
commercial	O
use	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Currently	O
,	O
the	O
Frontier-S	O
has	O
flown	O
on	O
Rocket	O
Lab	O
's	O
Photon	O
Pathstone	O
spacecraft	O
,	O
launched	O
in	O
March	O
2021	O
,	O
and	O
is	O
planned	O
to	O
fly	O
on	O
the	O
Photon	O
spacecraft	O
used	O
for	O
the	O
CAPSTONE	O
mission	O
in	O
March	O
2022	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
a	O
private	O
mission	O
to	O
Venus	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Parameter	O
Frontier	B-Device
Radio	I-Device
FR	O
Lite	O
FR	O
Virtual	O
Radio	O
Frontier-S	O
Unit	O
Frequency	B-Algorithm
Band	I-Algorithm
S	B-Algorithm
/	O
X	B-Algorithm
/	O
Ka	O
UHF	O
to	O
C	B-Algorithm
UHF	O
/	O
S	B-Algorithm
/	O
X	B-Algorithm
/	O
Ka	O
S	B-Algorithm
Volume	O
2050	O
320*	O
960*	O
790	O
cubic	O
centimeters	O
(	O
cc	O
)	O
Mass	O
2.1	O
0.4*	O
1.0*	O
0.59	O
kilograms	O
(	O
kg	O
)	O
Temperature	O
-35	O
to	O
+60	O
-35	O
to	O
+60	O
-35	O
to	O
+60	O
-30	O
to	O
+60	O
Celsius	O
(	O
C	B-Algorithm
)	O
Voltage	O
+28	O
+6	O
to	O
+12	O
+28	O
22	O
–	O
35	O
Volts	O
(	O
V	O
)	O
Power	O
,	O
Rx	O
Only†	O
6	O
1.5	O
(	O
0.35	O
Standby	O
)	O
6	O
(	O
single	O
,	O
X-band	B-Algorithm
)	O
3.5	O
Watts	O
(	O
W	O
)	O
Power	O
,	O
Full	O
Duplex†	O
9.7	O
(	O
X-band	B-Algorithm
)	O
2	O
w/	O
on-board	O
1-W	O
SSPA	O
(	O
S-band	B-Algorithm
)	O
8	O
(	O
X-band	B-Algorithm
)	O
6.8	O
Watts	O
(	O
W	O
)	O
Rx	O
/	O
Tx	O
Channels	O
2	O
/	O
2	O
1	O
/	O
1	O
2	O
/	O
2‡	O
1	O
/	O
1	O
-	O
Receive	O
Rate	O
1	O
–	O
1	O
M	O
100	O
–	O
10	O
M	O
100	O
–	O
10	O
M	O
100	O
–	O
1	O
M	O
samples	O
per	O
second	O
(	O
sps	O
)	O
Transmit	O
Rate	O
10	O
–	O
150	O
M	O
100	O
–	O
10	O
M	O
100	O
–	O
10	O
M	O
20	O
–	O
4	O
M	O
sps	O
Rx	O
Sensitivity	O
-160	O
-150	O
-155	O
(	O
est	O
.	O
)	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
order	O
to	O
determine	O
if	O
Europa	O
,	O
one	O
of	O
Jupiter	O
’s	O
smaller	O
moons	O
holding	O
a	O
liquid	O
ocean	O
beneath	O
a	O
layer	O
of	O
ice	O
,	O
could	O
support	O
life	O
,	O
NASA	O
is	O
sending	O
the	O
lander	O
to	O
investigate	O
the	O
surface	O
of	O
the	O
moon	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
current	O
plan	O
concerning	O
the	O
radio	O
,	O
is	O
,	O
for	O
the	O
Europa	O
Lander	O
and	O
its	O
Carrier	O
and	O
Relay	O
Stage	O
(	O
CRS	O
)	O
is	O
to	O
use	O
a	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
heritage	O
FR	O
with	O
added	O
X-band	B-Algorithm
functionality	O
for	O
cross-banded	O
uplink	O
and	O
downlink	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Also	O
,	O
a	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
FR	O
VR	O
with	O
S-band	B-Algorithm
receive	O
and	O
transmit	O
(	O
with	O
L-band	O
receive	O
as	O
well	O
)	O
will	O
fly	O
on	O
a	O
JHU/APL	O
Cubesat	O
mission	O
in	O
2022	O
.	O
</s>
