Dual-Band (X/Ka), Electronically Scanned Antenna (ESA) for On-The-Move (OTM) SATCOM (9723)

Hittite proposes to develop dual-band (X/Ka) ESAs for OTM SATCOM with the new Wideband Gapfiller Systems (WGS). The basic building block of the 24” by 24” ESA will be a small, wideband 64-element ESA tile. The complete antenna will be able to radiate 328 W with an EIRP of 60 dBW at X-Band and 72 dBW at Ka-band, and receive with a G/T of 6.7 dB/K at X-Band and 14.8 dB/K at Ka-band. Element size and spacing ensures >70° scan angles at all frequencies. Corporate feed networks connect individual element sites to a single input and output connector. Every antenna element site comprises a redundant transmit amplifier, low-noise amplifier, independent transmit and receive phase shifters, filters, and a wide bandwidth radiating element. All transmit, receive, and beam forming functions are realized on each 1.5” x 1.5” tile cut from 8” (200 mm) SiGe wafers. Signal distribution networks (corporate feeds) and antenna elements will be added to the tile with established technology. The resulting ESA will be compact, rugged, and low-cost in production. The Phase I effort will focus on the preliminary design of a dual-band (X/Ka) ESA tile for OTM SATCOM. Critical technology will be developed and demonstrated in Phase II leading to the complete antenna system development in Phase III.