GOTAS

General Observation, Tracking, and Acquisition System

GOTAS is a 3-meter, 2–16 GHz radio telescope and tracking-system build demonstrating RF systems engineering, mechanical design, astrodynamics-aware target acquisition, observability tooling, and field-deployable automation.

The project combines dish and mechanical structure design, RF front-end planning, pointing and tracking software, pass prediction, signal-chain analysis, and practical fabrication.

Thanks and acknowledgements

Engineering Scope

Aperture: 3-meter radio telescope structure.
Frequency range: 2–16 GHz receive-system planning.
Mechanical work: dish structure, support frame, Y-axis design, meshing, and displacement analysis.
RF work: front-end planning, signal-chain analysis, gain/loss budgeting, and instrumentation planning.
Software work: target acquisition, pass prediction, pointing workflow, and observability tooling.
Fabrication work: practical build planning, material constraints, and field-deployable assembly.

Project Purpose

GOTAS is intended as a long-form engineering proof project: a practical radio-observation platform that brings together RF systems, mechanical structure, pointing and tracking software, orbital/pass prediction, field instrumentation, and operational observability. The goal is not just to build an antenna, but to build a coherent acquisition and tracking system from real-world components and constraints.

Realtime Display Prototype

GOTAS also includes the beginnings of a realtime receiver defender display: a map-oriented interface for visualizing contacts, maintaining situational awareness, and supporting acquisition/tracking workflows.

Open the Outside Context Problem display prototype

This tooling will grow into a system which can repoint the dish away from strong RF sources like aircraft or nearby telecommunication links.

Some aircraft are known to transmit ADSB signals with over 1 KW ERP. While rare, if such a transmitter were to be within about 2 km of the dish, and the aircraft ended up on the dish's boresight, damage to the first-stage amplifier in the signal chain is likely.

Status

Current status: design and analysis phase, including CAD structure work, frame meshing, displacement analysis, RF-chain planning, and tracking/acquisition software design.

Software Evidence

Realtime contact-display prototype
Operator-facing acquisition/tracking interface
Auto-zoom behavior for contact visualization
Designed as part of the GOTAS observation and tracking workflow