Miniature, Affordable Satellite Beacon

Eagle Eye will develop a highly reliable, miniature transponder that will permit a user to accurately locate the transponder using a satellite communication system. The transponder will be small enough to fit inside a wristwatch case and it could be worn on a wrist or packaged into an inconspicous place in a sensitive piece of hardware. In the event that a person such as a Special Forces operative or a downed Air Force pilot needs to be rescued, a low earth orbiting satellite will interrogate the transponder tag to determine its position. The Eagle Eye system will use a satellite system scheudled to be operational later this year. This SBIR Phase I proposal is to develop the most critical technology for the concept, the MMIC transmit/receive front end in a multichip module package. Eagle Eye will also develop a plan to demonstrate the product with the low orbit satellite. Key technologies for the concept include Microwave monolithic Integrated Circuits, MultiChip Module packaging to miniaturize a transponder, thermal control of the package, and an innovative differential Doppler location technique. The basic technology in each of these critical items has been developed by the Department of Defense. Thus, this system development represent commercialization of several DoD technologies as well as a potential dual use military and commercial product. Anticipated Benefits: Anticipated benefits are increased safety for Special Forces missions, increased probability of retrieving downed military pilots, and tracking military cargo and personnel for logistics support. Potential commercial applications of the transponder tags include locating back country hikers, Alzheimer's patients, tagged animals in the wild, and tracking package shipments.