Affordable Low-Profile Wideband SATCOM Antennas (LPWSA) for Airborne Platforms

The proposal will develop multiple design concepts, conduct a trade study, and identify the three (3) most promising concepts for affordable low-profile and wideband satellite communication antennas (LPWSA) with high data rate capability and minimum airstream protrusion for airborne platforms. Specifically, the study will investigate several modified hybrid low-profile antenna array concepts with reduced antenna height and widen coverage range of low elevation incident. The development approaches include (a) two separated broadband antenna system designs for the Ku-band and the Ka/K band and (b) single low-profile ultra wideband antenna design for the above antenna system concepts that cover all-inclusive Ku- and Ka- bands. In either case, the availability and cost of COTs components will affect the choice of the antenna system architecture for airborne SATCOM applications. The threshold of the proposal is the development of a Ku-band antenna for simultaneous transmit and receive satellite communication, with an objective to develop an all-inclusive dual-band Ku/Ka antenna array system. The proposal will first analyze and simulated RF performance of the proposed design concepts through electromagnetic simulation, and then identify risks and approaches for reducing risk toward selecting these design concepts.