Link margin

Margin = C/N0 − C/N0_req in dB. Both inputs are dB-Hz.

SIDUS educational calculator. Category satellite. Tags: comms, RF, satellite. Pure SI. Not flight software.

Formula

M = CN0 − CN0_req

RF link margin

Primary sources

• Deep-space communications link design (NASA): Link margin relative to an SNR or C/N0 threshold is expressed in dB.
• Radiometric Tracking Techniques for Deep-Space Navigation (NASA / JPL DESCANSO (Thornton, Border)): DSN two-way range, Doppler, and clock-to-range-rate. Educational SI, not a tracking system.

How do AI agents use this tool?

Read /llms.txt or call https://sidus.tools/api/mcp. Open the interactive page for live SI inputs.