Adaptive antenna structures

ABSTRACT: The proposed research will develop and validate a pragmatic approach to modifying existing ground station antenna systems to mitigate the spectral congestion. Furthermore, this solution is a natural building block for future AFSCN ground station capability growth and can serve to demonstrate technology viability and applicability to ground TT & C systems. The scope proposed includes evaluation of several techniques to spatially and spectrally mitigate receive and transmit interference. Calibration techniques are also included as appropriate for undesirable transmission pollution in civilian commercial wireless space. BENEFIT: Commercial wireless services at L and S band frequencies are seeing widespread use with exponential growth in user devices and applications. These systems are both impacted by satellite telemetry, tracking and command terrestrial transmissions and conversely impacting the AFSCN network by inadvertent interference due to signal spectral proximity. The proposed research will develop and validate a pragmatic approach to modifying existing ground station antenna systems to mitigate the spectral congestion. Furthermore, this solution is a natural building block for future AFSCN ground station capability growth employing phased array antennas.