A Reconfigurable Transmitter and Receiver for Aeronautical Telemetry Applications

This project focuses on the development of a reconfigurable microwave transmitter and receiver for telemetry applications. Both the transmitter and receiver are able to operate at any frequency between the L and C Bands. The software defined transmitter is able to change its center frequency, output bandwidth and output power as well as operate with multiple simultaneous output frequencies. The flexible receiver is also capable of reconfiguring its center frequencies and bandwidths to match the output characteristics of the transmitter. Interference sensing and mitigation techniques also allow the receiver to provide pristine signal reception in over-crowded microwave environments.

Potential applications of the RMFTR for NASA will be advanced aeronautical system testing capabilities, that enable high data rate telemetry. Increasing the data capacity of telemetry systems will allow NASA flight test teams to increase the sensor payloads on test vehicles. An increased number of sensor will provide NASA the ability to test and monitor an increasing number of flight metrics, enhancing the quality and quantity of flight test data.

The telemetry community is under increasing pressure when it comes to spectrum availability for flight tests and missile system testing. The proposed RMFTR will provide the telemetry community with a flexible, programmable transmitter that can quickly adapt to the available spectrum, maximizing the spectrum usage and minimizing interference to neighboring systems. Therefore, it is anticipated that the telemetry community will be the first adopters of the proposed product, and the commercialization strategy is based upon this first-use application.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 2) — 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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