Millimeter-Wave Micro-SAR (MMW uSAR)

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this proposed SBIR is to design and develop a miniature, <5-pounds and 0.5 cubic foot, dual-pol high-res MMW SAR sensors and demonstrate operation, data collection and post processing imaging capability on an aircraft, manned and/or unmanned.Goleta Star LLC with key team technical support will evolve lite-weight and compact dual polarization MMW radar sensor technology at both Ka and W-bands.Goleta has been involved in the development of lite-weight and low-cost Ka-band small SWaP radar technology for the last 15-years and has developed a dual-channel radar at Ka-band under prior AFRL sponsorship.Leveraging past relevant technology, Goleta will evolve the design of the desired dual-pol sensors at Ka and W-band in Phase 1, such that we can build and test these sensors in a follow-on Phase 2 effort, providing calibrated dual pol data at both Ka and W-bands, for further research and development applications.In Phase 1 we will evolve the designs, such that in Phase 2 these designs can be implemented to the desired SWaP and miniaturized form factor.And we will collect the appropriate dual-pol data that is desired by the AFRL.; BENEFIT: The AF will obtain reliable designs for dual polarization Ka and W-band radars that will be liteweight and have a compact form factor.These radars when developed in Phase 2 will provide the desired data that the AF seeks, to then evolve the ATR algorithms, and for other TBD uses.