Current small satellite platforms such as CubeSats require robust and versatile communication subsystems that allow the reconfiguration of the critical operating parameters such as carrier frequency, transmission power, bandwidth, or filter roll-off factor. A reconfigurable Analog Back-End for the space segment of a satellite communication subsystem is presented in this work. This prototype is implemented on a 9.5 cm² 6-layer PCB, and it operates from 0.070 to 6 GHz and complies with CubeSat and IPC-2221 standards. The processing, control, and synchronizing stages are carried out on a Software-Defined Radio approach executed on a baseband processor. Results showed that the signal power at the output of the proposed Analog Back-End is suitable for feeding the following antenna subsystem. Furthermore, the emitted radiation levels by the transmission lines do not generate electromagnetic interference.

This work presents the design, performance evaluation, manufacture, and characterization of an RF front-end signal conditioning chain on a substrate that achieves the best performance at S-band frequencies and complies with the dimensions of the international standard for CubeSat-type nanosatellites. In this development, the signal conditioning chains were carried out on the high-frequency substrates RO4350B, CuClad 250, and RT/duroid 5880, considering scattering parameters in a small-signal regime. Concerning the power output, after the filtering and amplifying stages, the conditioning chain delivered 2 watts at 2.25 GHz. Moreover, up to 40 dB gain was achieved, and a good impedance matching at −20 dB for both input and output ports was observed. The numerical simulations and experimental results showed that an RO4350B substrate allows the smallest design dimensions, and these comply with the dimensions of the CubeSat standard. The manufactured RF front-end signal conditioning chain on RO4350B requires an area of 95 mm², and it is ready to be used in a proof-of-concept space mission in a CubeSat.