L-band Scanning Reflectarray Scatterometer for Multi-Functional Space-Based Environmental Monitoring

In this Phase II Program, Aperture Space will build on the outcomes of its Phase I equivalent efforts to adapt the company’s reconfigurable L-band radar payload for scatterometry to generate space based environmental data for the US Space Force and other stakeholders. Aperture Space will develop novel radar waveforms, build on-orbit calibration and thermal stability electronics integrated with a scanning reflectarray antenna and conduct environmental and flight testing to collect performance data. This Phase II thus pairs Aperture Space’s novel developments with software defined radar in the L-band spectrum to more efficiently address the needs of the Department of Defense (DoD) for space-based environmental monitoring (SBEM).  Specifically, L-band scatterometry data is well-suited to address JROCM-14 environmental requirements, to augment Electro-Optical / Infrared Weather Systems (EWS) and the passive radiometry of Weather Satellite Follow-on Microwave (WSF-M) programs for enhanced numerical weather prediction across multiple environmental monitoring gaps.