SBIR-STTR Award

Teqnovations proposes to develop a modular, polarization-preserving 40 200 GHz active, electronically steered array (AESA) antenna for the next generation of WindSat satellites. AESA technology will enable WindSat to customize its scan location and resolution on earth to precisely image wind vectors in critical geographic areas. The new WindSats higher frequencies will minimize interference from operations at lower frequencies. Modular, AESA tiles can be configured into planar, timed-array antennas or into the focal-plane arrays for use with a reflector. The scalable AESA tile design supports a wide range of antenna shapes and sizes, including a quasi-conformal arrays. Planar, ultra-wideband modular antenna (PUMA) technology will be developed to acquire polarimetric radiometer data in the 40 200 GHz band. True-time-delay (TTD), RF liquid-crystal (LC) -based time delayers will form beams across the entire frequency band. Multiple antenna beams can be formed entirely in the RF domain, entirely in the digital domain, or in a hybrid of the two domains with sub arrays. The Phase I effort will focus on the PUMA array and antenna architecture. We will demonstrate a laboratory version of an AESA with four, dual (V + H) beams in Phase II leading to full antenna development in Phase III.

Benefit:
The proposed AESA will enable future polarimeteric radiometers, such as WindSat, to map wind vectors at arbitrary locations and with programmable resolution to lower the risk and enhance the success of future missions. The same technology will enable antennas for evolving 60 - 100 GHz data communications systems for military and commercial use.

Keywords:
RF liquid crystal, RF liquid crystal, timed-array antenna, Ultra-Wideband Antenna, Array Antenna, PUMA, AESA, True-time delay, WindSat

Teqnovations proposes to develop a modular, polarization-preserving 40 200 GHz active, electronically steered array (AESA) antenna for future microwave radiometry satellites. AESA technology will enable the satellite to customize its scan location and resolution on the Earth to image wind vectors precisely in critical geographic areas. A reflector + focal plane antenna architecture will image the entire Earth at 5 mile resolution. Modular, AESA tiles will be configured into focal-plane arrays. (These tiles also support a wide range of stand-alone, planar, quasi-conformal, timed-array antenna shapes and sizes.) Planar, ultra-wideband modular antenna (PUMA) array technology will be developed to acquire polarimetric radiometer data in the 40 200 GHz band. True-time-delay (TTD), RF liquid-crystal (LC)-based time delayers will form elevation beams across the entire frequency band. Each elevation beam will be digitized with an ultra-wide bandwidth superconducting ADC (provided as GFM) to enable azimuth beam formation in the digital domain. The composite beam former will operate as an electronic push broom 0x9D to sample the Earths surface in 2 mile increments. Focal-plane components will be designed, built, integrated, and tested during Phase II (though Option 2) in a laboratory environment to attain TRL 4 leading to full, Phase III antenna development.

Benefit:
The proposed AESA will enable future polarimetric radiometers to map wind vectors at arbitrary locations and with programmable resolution to lower the risk and enhance the success of future missions. The same technology will enable antennas for radar, signals collection, and evolving 60 - 100 GHz data communications systems for military and commercial use.

Keywords:
microwave radiometry, AESA, timed-array antenna, Ultra-Wideband Antenna, Array Antenna, True-time delay, RF liquid crystal, PUMA