Coupled Resonator Power Combiner (COREPOWER)

Building on the successful prototype 5-way coupled resonator combiner demonstrated during Phase I, NuWaves will leverage the COREPOWER combiner technology to develop a L-band, 1 kW solid state power amplifier (SSPA) with greater than 60% power added efficiency (PAE). During the development of the SSPA, the COREPOWER combiner will be modeled and NuWaves will utilize proprietary simulation methods to gain confidence that the design will not experience Multipaction mission conditions. The prototype SSPA will be manufactured and tested in a laboratory environment with inputs from NASA on mission representative radio frequency (RF) signals. NASA seeks technologies to support active sensing missions. Specifically, NASA is seeking L- and/or S-Band solid-state power amplifiers (SSPAs) capable of generating 1 kilowatt (kW) peak transmit power while maintaining a power-added efficiency (PAE) of > 50%. NASA is also seeking SSPA solutions which have a small form factor due to the inherently demanding mission requirements for planet sensing satellites with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). NuWaves addresses this request by concentrating on a low-loss, high power combiner technology which enables multiple SSPAs to be efficiently combined in a compact form factor. NuWaves demonstrated the power combiner technology in Phase I by developing a 5-way combiner prototype which efficiently combined 5 SSPAs, each generating over 250 Watts (W) of peak transmit power, resulting in >1 kW peak transmit power. The Phase I prototype focused on demonstrating the applicability of efficiently and reliably combining 5 high-power SSPAs within a small form factor. Develop Prototype Solid State Power Amplifier (SSPA) module utilizing the COREPOWER combiner that has the following performance Characteristics: Output Power: 1 kW Power Added Efficiency (PAE): > 60% Operational Bandwidth: > 10% Operating Frequency: L-band   Deliver one prototype SSPA module to NASA

The SSPA developed during the COREPOWER Phase II effort is targeted for synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites. Small spacecraft ion thrusters, unmanned systems payloads, electronic warfare systems

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