Components for High Performance Nanosatellites

Changing world politics and military emphasis has brought considerable pressure on the budgets of space agencies and a shift to increasing commercialization of space activities. Budgetary pressure, coupled with the rapid advancement of microelectronics, has catalyzed the use of smaller and versatile satellites as a quicker and less expensive means of realizing space missions. However, the scope of useful missions for nanosatellites is restricted by the availability of components of suitable scale. One such component of major importance is the RF front-end, which includes the antennas and the electronics for communication and radar applications. In response to that need EMAG Technologies is proposing to develop a novel micromachined RF front-end that will combine an antenna array, monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMIC), and digital beamforming on a miniaturized multi-chip structure. The proposed module will be able to operate at various frequencies and antenna gain requirements with minimum necessary redesign, thus providing a very flexible and cost effective communication system for use in a variety of nanosatellites.