Row Column Phased Array Architecture for Low Cost, Low Profile Millimeter Wave Phased Array Antennas

There is a growing list of small satellite and cube satellite missions enabled by industry advances in very capable, low power and miniature digital signal processing hardware. Because the proposed phased array development is expected to result in significantly lower system costs, this phased array technology should be considered for small satellite payload and data transfer subsystems. By providing a communication solution that can be electronically steered, spacecraft attitude management is simplified allowing the payload to point at the primary target longer without interruption for data off-loading. Furthermore, by lowering antenna system costs, larger apertures can be deployed to significantly improve EIRP and G/T metrics essential for long range, high throughput capacity links. A high gain, electronically steered antenna at millimeter waves in Low Earth Orbit can reduce ground station antenna sizes enabling the deployment of small ground stations to avoid scarce resource conflicts. There is also the possibility of making the Ka band antenna compatible with K/Ka band SATCOM links to provide an additional means of transporting data or command and control messaging. The proposed phased array technology not only reduces the cost of millimeter wave phased arrays but enables significant bandwidths (20% or greater) to support commercial, military and NASA spectrum. One potential mission is replacement of gimbaled Ka band antennas on JPSS-3 & JPSS-4.

The proposed phased array beamforming architecture is a significant breakthrough in phased array technology. By drastically reducing the uniquely addressed (and routed) commands to steer electrically large phased arrays, the overall system cost is reduced associated with phased array integration. This is often an overlooked subsystem when attempting to reduce phased array system costs. The control distribution network often impacts how the phased array is temperature controlled by adding significantly to the backside physical interconnects eliminating critical surface area for thermal controls. The proposed technology can directly improve existing large phased array systems used for radar or communications. However, the low cost potential does sacrifice exquisite performance levels typically attributed to tracking radar systems that have the ability to adaptively null jamming signals or achieve very low sidelobe levels due to unit cell controls that have been eliminated with this architecture. Nevertheless, the proposed beamforming architecture can enable phased array application to mobile communication markets where spatial diversification is required for high capacity and frequency re-use. These markets include satellite communications such as for inflight entertainment and 5G high speed microcells. Other applications include sensors for Counter UAS or missile seekers where microwave and millimeter wave offers avenues for small size. More »