ASTERIX - High-throughput satellite communication

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Satellite communication plays a key role in supplying data in places that are difficult to access, such as airplanes or ships, as well as in the acquisition of Earth observation data. Here, too, the trend is towards higher volumes of data. This necessarily requires more bandwidth and therefore the use of higher frequency bands between 18 and 27 GHz. Up to now, this area has achieved fast data transmission by using travelling-wave tube amplifiers as power amplifiers. Solidstate power amplifiers (SSPAs) are an alternative offering lower supply voltage, reduced complexity of power supply components and a simpler mechanical design. Project ASTERIX will develop and evaluate SSPAs at 20 GHz and 26 GHz.

PROJECT TITLE

ASTERIX – Advanced Switchable Transceive/TX Structures for Space Applications

 

PROJECT DURATION

2018 − 2020

FUNDING SOURCE

DLR (FKZ: 50 YB 1810)

COORDINATOR

  • TU Hamburg-Harburg, Institute of High-Frequency Technology
  • Fraunhofer IAF

OBJECTIVES

  • Analysis of the transient behaviour of gallium nitride power amplifiers in the K- and Ka-band
  • Development of demonstrators based on the technologies GaN25 and GaN10, which meet the practical requirements for active phased array radiators
  • Demonstration of industrial applicability by transfer of circuit designs to the gallium nitride technology GH15 of UMS GmbH
  • Analysis of degradation mechanisms on gallium nitride transistors to improve reliabilty