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Completed TRL 6 (started at 4, targeting 6)
Recent advances in large aperture deployable antennae at X-band have been demonstrated by Northrop Grumman Space Systems (NGSS). This effort builds on an NGSS 6-meter X-band deployable antenna prototype. The goal of this work is to use the NGSS antenna to develop an X or Ku-band precipitation radar spaceborne Doppler radar concept with nadir and off-nadir beams that could be proposed for an EV-I or EV-M type of mission. An instrument design study was pursued.
This work is relevant to various spaceborne radar applications. The development of a radar using a large Ku or X-band deployable antenna is useful for various NASA Earth Science programs. This includes precipitation and synthetic aperture (SAR) radars. The technology is also useful for SAR in other federal agencies and to commercial SAR companies that provide terrestrial mapping.
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