High-Efficiency Power Amplifier for Over-the-Horizon Communications (HYPERION)

As unmanned aircraft system (UAS) technology continues to advance, the demand for over-the-horizon (OTH) communications links increases. Ku-band and Ka-band frequencies will be targeted for future OTH data links in support of NASA's Control and Non-Payload Communications (CNPC) program. Additionally, broadband-level data throughput is desired. NuWaves proposes the high efficiency (≥ 50%) HYPERION RF power amplifier (PA) monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) to provide the output power necessary to transfer data between the UAS and the satellite. The HYPERION PA utilizes a Doherty amplifier, maintaining high efficiency over a wide range of RF input power. This wide dynamic range can support a number of different waveforms, from constant-envelope waveforms (such as frequency shift keying (FSK) and binary phase shift keying (BPSK)) to more complex waveforms such as quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM). The HYPERION PA delivers a saturated output power of 25 W in Ku- and Ka-band variants, with 30 dB and 18 dB of small signal gain, respectively.

NASA applications include Control and Non-Payload Communications (CNPC) for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), inclusive of telecommand, telemetry, navigation aid data, air traffic control (ATC) voice relay, air traffic services (ATS) data relay, sense and avoid data relay, airborne weather radar data, and situational awareness video. The technology also applies to payload communications for manned and unmanned aircraft, which typically requires higher data rates than command & control (C2) of the aircraft. These payload communications applications include sensor downlink and video downlink. Additional airborne applications include airborne weather radar, such as NASA's HIWRAP project, a dual-frequency (Ka- and Ku-band) solid-state transmitter-based Doppler radar system, and radar altimetry, such as Operation IceBridge, which includes a Ku-band radar altimeter system. Space applications that could benefit from this high-efficiency power amplifier technology may include the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) and Near Earth Network (NEN) transponders for satellites.

Non-NASA commercial applications include all of the same UAS control and non-payload communications (CNPC) related applications (e.g. telecommand, telemetry, navigation aid data, etc.) via satellite, manned and unmanned aircraft payload communications (e.g. sensor and video downlink), airborne and space-based radars, ground-based SATCOM terminals, (e.g. VSATs), etc.

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