Deployable Hypersonic Antenna Assembly (DHAA)

The extreme aerothermal environment that surrounds hypersonic glide bodies creates unique challenges for vehicle communication.  In addition to thermal constraints, the shape of the glide body and its thermal protection system limit the available antenna mounting options and their associated locations on the glide body.  Innovative EM/RF designs that limit thermal loading of the glide body while providing for wide bandwidth operation with high gain and optimal directionality are needed for novel operational concepts and short duration use at specific times along a given trajectory.  EXO has utilized these unique requirements to develop an innovative antenna design that deploys during flight while providing high performance and satisfying SWaP constraints.  In Phase II, Exo-Atmospheric Technologies, LLC (EXO) will continue development of its unique Deployable Hypersonic Antenna Assembly (DHAA) by continuing to refine the innovative mechanical system developed to rapidly deploy the antenna during a specified time in flight.  This work will consist of design optimization, prototyping, and the integration studies.  Aerothermal and plasmonic simulations will also be utilized to determine the unique environment surrounding the vehicle and to provide guidance on the exotic material solutions needed to protect the vehicle while enabling communications.  In addition to design and simulation work, EXO will engage in ground testing of the antenna to determine its RF performance over a wide frequency band while measuring performance metrics including gain and return loss.  Ground testing will also be used to optimize the mechanical deployment system and integrate the DHAA with a given vehicle TPS and substructure.  This testing will provide evidence and guidance on DHAA performance in its intended environment and will then be used for systems-level testing including shock and vibration, and thermal vacuum testing.  These tests will prepare the DHAA for government sponsored fight testing in a relevant hypersonic flight environment.