Node Data Flow Timeline
Migrated from Original Docs/Node/Node-DataFlow-Timeline.md
Node Data Flow Timeline
This section shows the timing of data and configuration flows during lock acquisition after rocket launch.
Typical Lock Acquisition Timeline
T=0 ms: Operator issues "POST /radio/config" (freq 5400 MHz, gain 32 dB)
FastAPI publishes to control IPC bus
T=1 ms: DSP pipeline reads config, updates SoapySDR via FPGA, begins sampling
T=5 ms: Antenna daemon reads config, points beam to expected location (az 45°, el 30°)
T=50 ms: RF signal present in received samples (rocket launch)
DSP applies matched filtering, coarse frequency correction, starts Doppler hold acquisition
T=100 ms: DSP detects carrier (BPSK or QPSK lock)
Publishes {lock_state: "symbol_lock", frequency_hold_state: "acquiring"} to status IPC
T=200 ms: FastAPI GET /status reflects lock_state; central and downstream consumers receive updated state
T=500 ms: Sync word 0x1ACFFC1D found in bitstream
DSP publishes {lock_state: "frame_lock", frequency_hold_state: "locked"}
T=600 ms: Telemetry router decodes first frame
Publishes frame to output port 9002
Central server receives telemetry
T=1000ms: Continuous frames arriving (1000 frames/sec at 500k symbol rate)
Antenna daemon adjusts beam via DoA tracking if enabled
T=2000ms: Rocket ascent continues; telemetry and beam tracking steadyKey Latency Targets
- RF input to lock state in status buffer: <100 ms
- Sync word detection to frame output: <500 ms
- Frame output to central server: <100 ms pole-to-pole
Related: See Node-ShutdownRecovery for graceful shutdown and crash recovery procedures.