Multifunction X-band Phased Array Antenna for Air/Space Surveillance and Space Operations

ABSTRACT: The objective of this Phase II SBIR effort is to develop and demonstrate a multifunction, multi-beam X-band subarray that is capable of simultaneously supporting air/satellite communications and radar for air/space surveillance. Under this proposed effort, Alpha Omega Electromagnetics and Princeton Microwave will focus on a subarray that forms the basic building block of the Electronically Scanned Array (ESA) and that can operate with either two X-band communication beams or one communication beam and one X-band radar beam. Under Phase I of the effort, AOE and PMT investigated possible X-band ESA concepts and architectures that can achieve simultaneous multiple-beam communication and radar operations. Under Phase II, this same team will perform numerical simulations to refine design trade-offs in terms of communication and radar operation and performance, as well as fabrication, reliability and cost. Finally, in Phase II, a small subarray will be fabricated and tested in a far-field range. The resulting subarray technology should have far reaching applications including serving as a basic building block of an ESA for the air and space traffic control, homeland defense, cruise missile defense and satellite communication. BENEFIT: The resulting subarray technology developed under this proposed effort will support the realization of a large phased array antenna capable of broad field of view coverage. The array will be capable of multi-beam, simultaneous transmit and receive operation. It will be capable of providing multiple links to support several air and SATCOM links while simultaneously allowing for radar operations for space surveillance. An additional application of the aperture technology developed under this SBIR will be for mobile applications where a single subarray (or small groups of subarrays) will serve as the complete functional antenna.