Directional wireless communication links from satellite to ground provide greater bandwidth and require lower power consumption for equivalent performance compared with omni-directional broadcast RF links. To be reliable, such links must be continuously and accurately pointed from the satellite to the appropriate ground station. Antenna Research Associates and the University of Maryland propose to design an agile, low-cost, light-weight, gimbal with a state-of-the-art E-band antenna. The design will be validated both in simulation and in practical tests. We will evaluate two gimbal designs: a design using high performance, high torque, pancake motors, and a design using a high performance stepping motor. The gimbalized antenna will have on board angular encoders and inertial navigation units (INUs) so that it can determine its relative attitude.
Benefit: SATCOM on the move, first responder tactical network, satellite communications, point-to-point communication network, security, object recognition and tracking
Keywords: Cost-Effective, Precise, Low-Weight E-Band Gimbaled Antenna
