Dual-Frequency L-Band Antenna Array with Integrated Transmit/Receive Modules, Phase I

In this Phase I SBIR proposal we describe our plan to develop two key technologies for future combined radar/radiometer systems operating at L-band. The first, a dual frequency, dual polarization microstrip antenna array, will allow a 1.2 GHz radar and a 1.4 GHz radiometer to share a single aperture. The second, an integrated transmit/receive (T/R) module, will combine a 2W transmitter with digital phase and amplitude control with a low-noise down-converting receiver. Phase I research will involve selecting appropriate broadband patch and feed network designs, evaluating their performance using GENESYS, a commercial RF simulation package. Candidate T/R module designs will also be evaluated using GENESYS. The imaging capability of the resultant designs will be tested on realistic ocean and land scenes using a custom software package developed by ProSensing.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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