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Completed TRL 4 (started at 2, targeting 4)
Traditional millimeter wave designs use split block or waveguide components and large planar filter banks. This implementation is large in mass and size which are at a premium on CubeSats. Nuvotronics proposes to reduce size and weight of these systems by leveraging low-loss PolyStrata-integrated component and interconnects. The PolyStrata process enables highly accurate, repeatable, compact, low loss filters which can stack to further reduce footprint. With savings in weight and size Nuvotronics will increase the total functionality by increasing the number of frequency bands served by a single CubeSat. A recent advancement in switches will be implemented eliminating the need for a motor to control the reflector, creating further reductions in power and weight. A novel interconnect structure will be showcased that can be implemented on any MMICs to provide a manufacturable, low loss, impedance matched method of launching onto MMICs in bands up to 300 GHz.
Radiometers operating in the GHz to THz region provide valuable information regarding the content of water vapor, a major greenhouse gas and oxygen. The distribution and movement of water vapor in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere provides key information to scientists seeking to refine climate models as well as predict extreme weather events. Researchers would benefit from having widely deployable satellite based radiometers with short revisit times. The advent of small satellite constellations makes this idea feasible.
Millimeter-wave radiometers can be used in many remote sensing and passive surveillance applications such as airport screening, target detection, navigation aids for aircraft, and precision terminal guidance and munitions.
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