Sun-Tracking Millimeter Wave Radiometer

The Air Force is seeking solutions for a sun-tracking millimeter wave radiometer to measure atmospheric attenuation over a high dynamic range. The V- and W- bands have rarely been used for space communications and telemetry applications, but rapidly increasing government and commercial bandwidth needs will require future solutions within these bands. Our team, comprised of experienced scientists, managers, and engineers from ASTRA and Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyLincoln Labs (MIT-LL), proposes to develop and demonstrate a low cost, compact solution that will make continuous V- and W- band attenuation measurements from remote sites. Our proposed radiometer system will track the sun and derive accurate attenuation values over a wide range of viewing angles. In Phase I of the effort, we will conduct analysis to determine an optimal design sensing strategy and expected performance. We will identify and complete trades on the critical engineering challenges. This state of maturity at the end of Phase I will then enable us to transition quickly into Phase II where we will then fabricate and calibrate a fully functional prototype system for demonstration in a realistic environment. This prototype design can then be produced to scale for Phase III government and commercial applications.