Radio Telescope

Spring 2025

The goal of this capstone project is to design and implement a low cost, remotely controlled radio telescope that can be used by amateur astronomers and students to observe cosmic radio sources. The telescope enables users to align and capture radio signals through directional control using a motorized turret and a horn antenna tuned specifically to the hydrogen line at approximately 1420 MHz. This line is significant in radio astronomy due to its association with neutral hydrogen atoms in space. Key technologies implemented include a horn antenna that provides focused signal reception with an estimated gain of 8–10 dBi, a stepper motor driven turret that allows precise azimuth and elevation adjustments, and GNU Radio software for real-time signal processing and visualization. An Arduino-based motor controller program interprets angle commands sent from the user interface to drive the motors accurately. Notable accomplishments include successful antenna design and simulation, remote control integration, and development of a stable mechanical mount. Future improvements could involve converting to galactic coordinates for more accurate sky mapping and improving motor-to-gear mechanical efficiency for smoother operation.

1 Lifts 

Artifacts

Name Description
Project Poster Poster for team.   Download
Executive Summary Executive Summary for team.   Download
Project Document Project Document for team.   Download
Project summary video Project summary video for the team   Link
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