Ultra-Small, Active, Integrated Microwave Sensors

Space exploration vehicles need sensors to monitor their health and a transmitter to relay their status to a control station. Equipment for the data transfer function may be an integral part of the vehicle independent of the vehicle's mission. For such applications, a miniature microwave transponder with conformal antenna is proposed. The receiver portion of the transponder will decode the interrogating signal and activate the transmitter, which will relay the vehicle data collected on board to the interrogator. Microwave Monolithic Integrated Circuits (MMIC) will be used to miniaturize the transponder design. Operating parameters of the transponder and interface specifications will be defined, and a breadboard will be built and tested to demonstrate the essential properties of the transponder.