Comprehensive satellite telemetry system with real-time visualization, 3D orientation tracking, and dual-platform architecture

Overview

A complete ground control and telemetry solution built for the Teknofest 2024 Model Satellite Competition. The system combines a feature-rich PySide6 ground station GUI with a Raspberry Pi-based satellite payload for collecting, transmitting, and visualizing critical flight data including altitude, pressure, temperature, GPS coordinates, and 3D orientation.

Key Features

Real-Time Telemetry Dashboard - Live visualization of flight data with PyQtGraph-powered graphs and dynamic displays
Interactive GPS Tracking - Folium-based map plotting satellite trajectory with real-time polyline updates
3D Orientation Visualization - VTK-powered 3D widget displaying roll, pitch, and yaw for intuitive spatial awareness
CSV Data Simulator - Standalone testing tool for validating ground station functionality without live satellite connection
Mission Data Logging - Automated CSV recording of all telemetry for post-flight analysis and blackbox purposes
WebSocket Communication - Reliable, bidirectional real-time data link between ground station and satellite

Tech Stack

Ground Station: Python, PySide6 (GUI framework), Folium (mapping), VTK (3D visualization), PyQtGraph (data plotting)
Satellite Payload: Raspberry Pi, Python, Adafruit CircuitPython (BMP390, TMP117, BNO055 sensors)
Communication: WebSockets with asyncio for concurrent operations
Additional Services: Flask (Raspberry Pi web server for logs/media streaming)

System Architecture

Dual-Platform Design - Ground station desktop application with remote Raspberry Pi payload system
Async Operations - Concurrent handling of WebSocket connections and sensor data streams
Sensor Integration - Direct interfacing with environmental and orientation sensors via CircuitPython libraries
Data Pipeline - Continuous flow from sensor acquisition → transmission → visualization → logging

Impact

Delivered a production-ready telemetry system combining sophisticated visualization, reliable communication, and comprehensive data logging. The modular architecture with CSV simulation capabilities enabled extensive pre-flight testing, while real-time 3D orientation and GPS tracking provided critical mission awareness.

A demonstration of embedded systems programming, real-time data processing, and advanced GUI development for aerospace applications.

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