Lightweight, Reprogrammable Two Way Communications Avionics

Interceptor communication avionics embody number of challenging requirements, including surviving the MDA-STD-001 radiation environment, the necessity for small size, the use of multiple frequency bands and the need to operate in an environment where the link channels may be interrupted or compromised by electromagnetic interference associated with nuclear weapons. In these environments the MDA links provide communication between the Ballistic Missile Defense System Fire Control (on the ground), interceptors, and satellites. Interceptors may also include Carrier Vehicles (CV) and Kill Vehicles (KV) requiring multiple links in the system. Multiple operating frequency bands are required for these links, including S-, C-, X-, and K-bands. Interceptors are generally physically small, making the size of the communication hardware (e.g. radios or transponders) critical due to limited space. This SBIR provides innovative solutions to address the unique interceptor communication hardware challenges and provides the opportunity to build a single software-defined radio which addresses all of these issues simultaneously. Space Micro’s “Micro Software Defined Radio” or “uSDR” utilizes new and innovative technologies to produce an interceptor communication platform that is miniaturized, reconfigurable, and radiation hardened.