SBIR Phase I: Ultra Wide Band (UWB) Ka-Band Flat Panel Antenna

小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力旨在推动超宽带(UWB)平板天线(FPA)的发展，FPA是基于卫星的无处不在的通信的催化剂。该项目的重点是国际电信联盟(ITU)的Ka频段(Tx 27.5-31 GHz，Rx 17.7-21.2 GHz)，FPA能够同时连接所有三个星座：低地球轨道(LEO)、中地球轨道(MEO)和地球静止轨道(GEO)。这些FPA的发展将使卫星通信进入一个新时代，使互联网网络成为一个全球网络，无论用户在地球上的位置如何，其速度与陆地网络相当，在某些情况下甚至高于陆地网络。FPA技术可能会促进对更高毫米波(毫米波)频率及其提供的带宽好处的进一步研究。FPA技术也可能是未来混合无线网络的使能器，用于汽车和机器与卫星的直接视距(LOS)连接。这项小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目旨在开发一种新的辐射孔径设计方法，用于高带宽、高效率、低成本、轻量化的下一代卫星终端平板天线(FPA)。卫星行业最近的活动，例如在地球静止轨道上的新的低轨星座和高吞吐量卫星网络，推动了用于用户终端的光纤放大器的开发。为了支持这样的多轨道星座，需要满足一定的性能标准，如带宽、极化分集、交叉极化抑制和天线增益，以保证可靠的通信链路。现有的平板天线技术要么是窄带的，要么是体积庞大的，不适合新兴的卫星技术或多轨道通信。因此，需要一种能够覆盖整个Ka频段(Tx和Rx)的新型平板天线，以释放Ka频段卫星通信的全部潜力。该项目的核心是开发具有多轨道通信所需所有属性的新技术。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project seeks to advance the development of Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) Flat Panel Antenna (FPA) which is a catalyst for ubiquitous, satellite-based communication. This project focuses on the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Ka-band frequencies (Tx 27.5-31GHz, Rx 17.7-21.2GHz) with FPA capable of connecting to all three constellations: Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), and Geostationary Orbit (GEO) simultaneously. The development of these FPA will enable a new era of satellite communication, making the internet network a global network regardless of the user’s location on earth, with speeds comparable to, and in some cases higher than, land-based networks. FPA technology may spur further research into higher millimeter-wave (mmWave) frequencies and the bandwidth benefits they offer. FPA technology may also be an enabler of the future hybrid wireless network used in connected cars and machines with direct Line of Sight (LOS) to a satellite.This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to develop a novel method of radiating aperture design for high bandwidth, high efficiency, low-cost, and lightweight next-generation satellite terminal Flat Panel Antenna (FPA). Recent activities in the satellite industry such as the new LEO constellations and High-Throughput Satellite (HTS) networks in GEO orbit have prompted the development of the FPA to be used in the user’s terminal. To support such a multi-orbit constellation, certain performance criteria such as Bandwidth, polarization diversity, cross-polarization rejection, and Antenna Gain need to be met with sufficient margin to guarantee reliable communication links. The existing Flat Panel Antenna technologies are either narrowband or bulky, which makes them not suitable for emerging satellite technology or multi-orbit communication. As a result, there is a need for a new Flat Panel Antenna that can cover the entire Ka-band frequencies (both Tx and Rx) to unlock the full potential of satellite communication in the Ka-band. The core of this project is developing the novel technology with all the attributes needed for multi-orbit communication.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.