Plasma FSS Radomes for Electronic Protection for Space-borne Phased Array Antennas

The Haleakala Research & Development, Inc has investigated and developed protection technologies with our plasma FSS radome for space-borne phased array antennas used for communications and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR). Since future transformational communications and radio frequency based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) space systems will likely involve advanced, high dynamic range transmitter/receiver devices and large but light-weight apertures, our plasma FSS radome technology is needed to address satellite system vulnerabilities that are associated with high dynamic range sensors and such large apertures. The type of vulnerabilities that our plasma FSS radome technology can address include Net-centric Warfare (penetrate satellite command uplink, insert false instruction and/or data, etc.) and direct radio frequency (RF) attack (spurious signal attack, spoofing attack, etc.). Our plasma radomes in combination with our plasma antennas and plasma antenna arrays provide several layers of reducing susceptibility to potential vulnerabilities, shielding against (RF) weapons, and optimizing the effectiveness of defensive systems. In addition we have begun to develop techniques for specific (radar and communications) emitter identification and engagement. We are also developing flexible digital signal and data processing techniques for new, programmable, adaptive systems to enable “surgical” responses to, and suppression of, targeted opponent systems, while minimizing effects on non-targeted emitters.