Digital Beamforming (DBF) for Satellite Operations (SATOPS) Support

Digital beamforming (DBF) for receive beams offers significant benefits over analog beamforming in the field of satellite operations support. DBF allows for improved adaptive pattern control for anti-jamming or interference control, high-resolution direction finding for tracking, antenna auto-calibration, ultra low sidelobes, closely spaced multiple beams, and flexible antenna resource management. Recent advances in digital technology, data processors, and component fabrication techniques for wireless communication has increased the processing capabilities and drastically reduced the cost of DBF systems. Thus, DBF is an attractive approach to enhance the capability of phased arrays for robust operability. In Phase I, receive-only DBF concepts, architectures, and techniques were studied and developed. Among several candidate DBF architectures investigated, an optimal architecture that can be incorporated into a multi-beam geodesic dome phased array antenna (GDPAA) was selected. The objective of Phase II is to perform a detailed numerical simulation and refine the design tradeoffs for the DBF concept selected in Phase I. In addition, an array of 19 horn antennas (with each horn simulating a scanning subarray), and a three-panel array of 12 horn antennas will be constructed to demonstrate multiple simultaneous receive beams in the digital domain and in real time. BENEFIT: The research and development of DBF technology offers potential commercial application/benefits. Mobile commercial satellite communication systems that use phased-array antennas and gateway ground stations, such as satellite television and smart cell phone base stations, may use DBF technology to increase the capacity of each station (may accommodate more users) and increase the range of signal, greatly enhancing the efficiency of these systems.