Radiometeorological forecast model. A new tool for deep-space link budget optimization at Ka-band

This work describes the RadioMetOP (RadioMeteorological Operation Planner tool) model for the optimization of deep-space satellite links. RadioMetOP allows exploiting dynamical statistics (i.e., customized on the specific day of the satellite pass) of atmospheric attenuation and brightness temperature derived coupling weather-forecast and radiopropagation models. RadioMetOP model has successfully passed the feasibility and validation phases demonstrating a capability of providing an extra daily data-volume up to 300% with respect to classical link-budget techniques based on static climatological statistics. Validation process was possible thanks to the collaboration with both ESA and JAXA that, for the first time, made available Ka-band measurements from the Hayabusa2 mission on the asteroid 162173 Ryugu. Since April 2022, RadioMetOP is operative for BepiColombo mission to Mercury: the first radiometeorological forecast tool operating for a deep-space mission at Ka-band. Latest results confirms that the RadioMetOP model is able to predict measured link performance in all-weather conditions. The future objective is to extend the RadioMetOP scope to make it multi-site, multimission and multi-frequency with a focus on its application at optical frequencies.