SBIR-STTR Award

Establishing a high data rate telecommunications system in remote locations in Alaska is a significant challenge involving a host of architecture options and technical challenges. High data rates from the remote site require either high transmit power or very high antenna gain with very precise stability and pointing. It is a difficult task to install and deploy communication components in areas where weather conditions are harsh and transportation distances are great. It is even more challenging to develop satellite terminals that must perform reliably over long periods of time with minimal scheduled maintenance. A unique design is proposed that will allow for high bandwidth communications at IFICS sites for secure data transmission as well as non-secure data transmission for "quality-of-life" communications and data flow. These systems may also serve as rapidly deployed and reliable backup networks in emergency situations. The design integrates an inflation-deployed radome integrated with an inflation rigidized highly accurate antenna. The RF feed mechanism is mounted to the radome and no additional structure is required. This design allows for packaging efficiencies and mass an order of magnitude better than conventional technologies at one tenth the cost

A deployable communications terminal design has been demonstrated under the MDA Phase I SBIR. This design allows for multi-data communications at GMD locations for secure data transmission, as well as non-secure data transmission for “quality-of-life” communications and data flow. These systems may also serve as rapidly deployed and reliable backup networks in emergency situations. The operational performance of the system was recently demonstrated during Hurricane Katrina with great success. The Phase II effort will focus on developing a system that provides architectures for a test network for a predictive maintenance unit. This will address the gap where operational networks are dedicated and not available for evaluation of technology. The system design will be further optimized during in Phase II. The tracking and deployment system demonstrated will be refined and designed to be scaleable to a variety of apertures. Several test articles will be fabricated and tested. The communications interfaces will be integrated into the antenna system including the modems and networks. Trades will be performed with various modems and waveforms. Integrated testing at a variety of frequencies will be done for certification testing. Communication links with a number of satellite systems will be demonstrated at test sites.

Keywords:
Emergency Communications, Deployable Antenna, High ---------- This technology development effort focuses on introducing a prototype 2.4 meter aperture, deployable Satellite Communication (SATCOM) ground station. Over the past three years, a pathfinder GATR tracking ground station was fabricated and tested by tracking different satellites in low Earth orbit at multiple frequency bands (S, X, Ka). This Phase II SBIR effort focuses on maturing the tracker structure to meet the deployment dynamics and environmental rigors encountered in a military environment. All of the track stand hardware to include the base mount, the azimuth and elevation motors, and the outrigger arms will be re-designed to meet design objectives. The technical data package required for manufacturing will be generated in this program. This contract will also mature the components necessary for uplink and downlink at a single operating band. Feed and feedmounts will be designed, tested, and built to accommodate these uplink and downlink frequencies. An optimized tracking algorithm for the ground station will be designed, ensuring the control system provides accurate pointing of the inflatable antenna. The tracking software interface will allow users to task the antenna for tracking. Packaging will be optimized for human factors (weight, dimensions, center of mass) and environmental (I.e., temperature, shock, and vibration) considerations.

Benefit:
The Cubesat community has been focusing on developing smaller and cheaper satellites and less costly launch options. However, as the number of communications and data gathering satellites in low and medium earth orbit increases, the need for satellite tracking ground terminals is increasing as well. Over the next 5 years, the need to track and downlink payload data from LEO/MEO satellites will far outstrip the capabilities of current ground stations. Most satellite tracking ground stations are in fixed locations on concrete pads, and are not transportable. Those satellite tracking ground stations that are transportable are large, bulky, trailer-mounted, and therefore expensive to transport. The revolutionary GATR deployable 2.4 meter tracking antenna can be shipped anywhere in the world via standard mail options (i.e., FEDEX) or as checkable baggage on commercial airlines. The GATR tracking antenna can be further transported by SUV to remote locations and be operational within an hour.