Next Generation Radar-Radiometer Space Qualified Digital Receiver and Processor

Remote Sensing Solutions proposes for the Phase II effort to develop and demonstrate a novel high-fidelity software defined radar/radiometer (SDRr) that meets the needs of future NASA Earth and planetary missions, as well as airborne demonstration and science programs that support NASA missions and/or mission risk reduction. This game-changing technology not only will provide state-of-the-art performance, support ultra-wide bandwidth applications and enable simultaneous radar/radiometer operations through common hardware, but it will also provide an innovative approach through its unique reconfigurable architecture that can be repurposed (reconfigured) for multiple different next generation sensors and missions while maintaining its TRL thus reducing mission costs, risks and schedules. The SDRr will realize: Ultra-Wideband Instantaneous Bandwidth providing 3 GHz of instantaneous bandwidth and multi-channel, multi-sub channel operations; Embedded Real-time Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) Mitigation that detects and removes RFI signals potentially with equivalent brightness temperatures less than 1 Kelvin; Direct RF Digital Receiver capable of directly sampling receive signals up through C-band frequencies and potentially higher; Combined Radar-Radiometer Signal Processor that provides both radar and radiometric signal processing and directly measures radar spectrum to enable operation of both within the same frequency allocation band(s) and provides detection and cancelation of the radar interference; a Reconfigurable Common Architecture capable of supporting multiple different radar and radiometer designs and modes of operations leading to high reuse between different missions and platforms; and will be delivered in a Small Modular Form Factor not much larger than a smart phone. Access to space and the lower cost and availability of smaller satellites provide significant savings and competitive advantages to smaller payloads, yet capable microwave Earth observing systems are still large and costly, with significant power needs. Future missions  require significant capabilities, in terms of bandwidth and signal processing, further driving higher the payload power and size needs. In this Phase II effort we propose to develop, build and evaluate an engineering qualifying model (EQM) of the next generation, high fidelity space qualified SDRr that offers a game changing solution for active / passive remote sensing of the Earth and planetary bodies by enabling active and passive radar sensing through shared hardware thus reducing the SWaP;  provides a reconfigurable SDRr that can support a broad range of radar and radiometer systems and applications for both airborne and spaceborne deployment; provides a direct path from airborne platform to space significantly reducing development schedule, risks and costs; and enables adaptive and reconfigurable sampling. Objectives: 1. Engineering Model Unit: flight equivalent engineering model unit. 2. Wide Bandwidth Operations: support radar and radiometer operation. 3. Multi-Mission Capability: highly reconfigurable 4. Multi-Instrument Support: support radars and radiometers 5. RFI Mitigation Capability: optimize RFI mitigation techniques 6. SWaP Reduction: reduce the overall size and complexity 7. One Path to Space: design utilizing commercial or space grade parts Deliverables: Task 1: Phase II Kickoff Meeting (Kickoff Meeting, Project Plan Presentation) Task 2: Specification and Placement (Interim report including - Design Specifications Document. Placement design) Task 3: Initial Prototyping (Interim report documenting initial performance data) Task 4: Detailed Design (Interim report summarizing the design and trades made) Task 5: Mechanical and Thermal Design (Interim report including - 3D SolidWorks Models and thermal design performance) Task 6: Firmware Development (Interim report summarizing the firmware implementation and capabilities) Task 7: EM Manufacturing & Assembly (Fabrication and assembly of EM unit) Task 8: Unit Testing (Interim report documenting the performance of the system and compliance with performance specifications) Task 9: Final Report (Final report including operator manual) Hardware Deliverable: Flight equivalent EM unit of the proposed SDRr and validation of its performance    

NASA has been charged with developing missions to obtain new observations to improve our understanding and ability to predict weather and extreme weather events;  improve our understanding of the roles and interactions of the oceans, atmospheric, land and ice in the Earth’s climate system; and aid in natural hazards. NASA will need combined active and passive airborne and spaceborne observations and new instruments to meet these objectives, and the proposed RSS software defined receiver will provide critical capabilities in this effort.  The product developed through this effort will offer a unique solution to NOAA and commercial customers such as Climacell and BAE for active / passive remote sensing of the ocean surface, ocean vector winds, precipitation and soil moisture from manned and unmanned UAS platforms; and to defense agency for next generation signal intercept and digital radio frequency memory (DRFM)  capabilities.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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