PHOAM

ScyLight

Status

Ongoing
Status date

2023-01-25
Activity Code

6C.030

Objectives

This project aims to de-risk technologies for the development of a multi-beam electronically-steered phased array antenna using hybrid beamforming. The envisaged antenna aims to establish broadband connections with future LEO/MEO constellations, as well as with existing GEO satellites.

Challenges

To develop a beamformer suitable for Ka-band.
To optimize the complete RF chain in terms of performance and power consumption.
To develop a photonic integrated circuit for flexible and power efficient photonic beamforming.

Benefits

With our hybrid approach, we will tackle the typical energy consumption and heat generation from digital beamforming antennas, allowing us to achieve higher data rates, multi-beam, multi-orbit. The modular and scalable approach allow us to customize the product for different market needs.

Features

In this project we will achieve a TRL 4 critical breadboard. The technology is based on electronically steerable multibeam with hybrid beamforming with separate Rx and Tx array elements (Rx from 17.7 to 20.2 GHz and Tx from 27.5 to 30 GHz). The antenna will be able to independently switch each transmit and receive beam between RHCP and LHCP polarization. The antenna will be scalable to provide adequate G/T and EIRP and presents an instantaneous Rx bandwidth up to 500 MHz. It can provide from a single beam up to 8 beams.

System Architecture

256 radiating elements with circular polarization with hybrid beamforming.

Plan

The project will take 21 months and it will focus on 2 main activities: a preliminary design of the antenna system and a hybrid beamforming.

Current status

At the moment are producing the first version of the photonic integrated circuit both for TX and RX.