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Hoppe, Daniel J.

Publications and source records attributed to Hoppe, Daniel J..

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2018

The ISARA Mission – Flight Demonstration of a High Gain Ka-Band Antenna for 100Mbps Telecom

The NASA sponsored ISARA (Integrated Solar Array and Reflectarray Antenna) mission successfully demonstrated a 100 Mbps Ka-band CubeSat communications capability. The enabling technology is a high gain reflectarray antenna integrated into a modified Pumpkin “Turkey Tail” solar array which wraps around the spacecraft body, essentially requiring near zero volume to accommodate. A simple low gain feed is used to distribute RF power to the reflectarray through free space. The 0.5kg ISARA antenna mass is compatible with the requirements of a 3U (10x10x10 cm3) spacecraft. The ISARA mission validated this approach in a flight technology demonstration. A unique on-orbit measurement system provided accurate measurement of the antenna gain from space. This system demonstrated 100Mbps downlink data rate capability using a relatively simple ground station with a 70cm parabolic reflector antenna. The spacecraft also verified ISARA solar panel output power and demonstrated the operational capability to accurately point the antenna to a Ka-band ground station, a key requirement for a telecom system. ISARA achieved a number of technological firsts. It is believed to be the first reflectarray antenna flown in space, first high gain antenna integrated with solar panels, first calibrated reflectarray antenna gain and pattern measurement performed from space and the first 3U CubeSat to demonstrate 100 Mbps using a small, low-cost ground station.

Martin, Jerami M.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Toward a NASA Deep Space Optical Communications System

As discussed at SpaceOps in 2016, we expect the data rates from deep space missions to increase approximately one order of magnitude per decade for the next 50 years. The first order of magnitude improvement will come from existing plans for radio frequency (RF) communications including enhancements to both spacecraft and Deep Space Network (DSN) facilities. The next two orders of magnitude are predicted to come from the introduction of deep space optical communications. Studies indicate that optical receive apertures of between 8m12m are desired. The large cost of dedicated receive telescopes makes this method unrealistic – at least in the near-term. The cost of large optical ground terminals is driven primarily by the cost of the optics and by the cost of a stable structure for the telescope. We propose a novel hybrid design in which existing DSN 34m beam waveguide (BWG) radio antennas can be modified to include an 8m equivalent optical primary. By utilizing a low-cost segmented spherical mirror optical design, pioneered by the optical astronomical community, and by exploiting the already existing extremely stable large radio aperture structures in the DSN, we can minimize both of these cost drivers for implementing large optical communications ground terminals. Two collocated hybrid RF/optical antennas could be arrayed to synthesize the performance of an 11.3m receive aperture to support more capable or more distant space missions or used separately to communicate with two optical spacecraft simultaneously. NASA is in the midst of building six new 34m BWG antennas in the DSN. The final two are planned to be built at the DSN Goldstone, California and Canberra complexes. We are now investigating building these last two antennas as RF/optical hybrids. By delaying their operational dates by two years, we would be able to add the 8m optical receive capability for these two antennas while fitting within existing budgetary constraints. This paper describes the hybrid antenna design, the technical challenges being addressed, and plan for using this concept, together with ongoing work on optical flight terminals, to infuse operation optical communications into deep space missions.

Cornwell, Donald M.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Beam-Forming Concentrating Solar Thermal Array Power Systems

The present invention relates to concentrating solar-power systems and, more particularly, beam-forming concentrating solar thermal array power systems. A solar thermal array power system is provided, including a plurality of solar concentrators arranged in pods. Each solar concentrator includes a solar collector, one or more beam-forming elements, and one or more beam-steering elements. The solar collector is dimensioned to collect and divert incoming rays of sunlight. The beam-forming elements intercept the diverted rays of sunlight, and are shaped to concentrate the rays of sunlight into a beam. The steering elements are shaped, dimensioned, positioned, and/or oriented to deflect the beam toward a beam output path. The beams from the concentrators are converted to heat at a receiver, and the heat may be temporarily stored or directly used to generate electricity.

Cwik, Thomas A.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Advanced Dispersed Fringe Sensing Algorithm for Coarse Phasing Segmented Mirror Telescopes

Segment mirror phasing, a critical step of segment mirror alignment, requires the ability to sense and correct the relative pistons between segments from up to a few hundred microns to a fraction of wavelength in order to bring the mirror system to its full diffraction capability. When sampling the aperture of a telescope, using auto-collimating flats (ACFs) is more economical. The performance of a telescope with a segmented primary mirror strongly depends on how well those primary mirror segments can be phased. One such process to phase primary mirror segments in the axial piston direction is dispersed fringe sensing (DFS). DFS technology can be used to co-phase the ACFs. DFS is essentially a signal fitting and processing operation. It is an elegant method of coarse phasing segmented mirrors. DFS performance accuracy is dependent upon careful calibration of the system as well as other factors such as internal optical alignment, system wavefront errors, and detector quality. Novel improvements to the algorithm have led to substantial enhancements in DFS performance. The Advanced Dispersed Fringe Sensing (ADFS) Algorithm is designed to reduce the sensitivity to calibration errors by determining the optimal fringe extraction line. Applying an angular extraction line dithering procedure and combining this dithering process with an error function while minimizing the phase term of the fitted signal, defines in essence the ADFS algorithm.

Spechler, Joshua A.↗
NASA NTRS2012

A Three-Frequency Feed for Millimeter-Wave Radiometry

A three-frequency millimeter-wave feed horn was developed as part of an advanced component technology task that provides components necessary for higher-frequency radiometers to meet the needs of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission. The primary objectives of SWOT are to characterize ocean sub-mesoscale processes on 10-km and larger scales in the global oceans, and to measure the global water storage in inland surface water bodies, including rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and wetlands. In this innovation, the feed provides three separate output ports in the 87-to- 97-GHz, 125-to-135-GHz, and 161-to-183- GHz bands; WR10 for the 90-GHz channel, WR8 for the 130-GHz channel, and WR5 for the 170-GHz channel. These ports are in turn connected to individual radiometer channels that will also demonstrate component technology including new PIN-diode switches and noise diodes for internal calibration integrated into each radiometer front end. For this application, a prime focus feed is required with an edge taper of approximately 20 dB at an illumination angle of 40 deg. A single polarization is provided in each band. Preliminary requirements called for a return loss of better than 15 dB, which is achieved across all three bands. Good pattern symmetry is also obtained throughout all three-frequency bands. This three-frequency broadband millimeter-wave feed also minimizes mass and provides a common focal point for all three millimeter-wave bands.

Hoppe, Daniel J.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Strut Shaping of 34m Beam Waveguide Antenna for Reductions in Near-Field RF and Noise Temperature

Strut shaping of NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN) 34m Beam Waveguide (BWG) antenna has been implemented to reduce near-field RF exposure while improving the antenna noise temperature. Strut shaping was achieved by introducing an RF shield that does not compromise the structural integrity of the existing antenna. Reduction in the RF near-field level will compensate for the planned transmit power increase of the antenna from 20 kW to 80 kW while satisfying safety requirements for RF exposure. Measured antenna noise temperature was also improved by as much as 1.5 K for the low elevation angles and 0.5 K in other areas.

near-field↗
NASA NTRS2012

Strut Shaping of 34m Beam Waveguide Antenna for Reductions in Near-Field RF and Noise Temeperature

Struts shaping of the NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN) 34m Beam Waveguide (BWG) antenna has been implemented to reduce near-field RF exposure while improving the antenna noise temperature. Strut shaping was achieved by introducing an RF shield that does not compromise the structural integrity of the existing structure. Reduction in the RF near-field exposure will compensate for the planned transmit power increase of the antenna from 20 kW to 80 kW while satisfying safety requirements for RF exposure. Antenna noise temperature was also improved by as much as 1.5 K for the low elevation angles and 0.5 K in other areas. Both reductions of RF near-field exposure and antenna noise temperature were verified through measurements and agree very well with calculated results.

reflector↗
NASA NTRS2011

Polished Panel Optical Receiver for Simultaneous RF/Optical Telemetry with Large DSN Antennas

The polished panel optical receiver concept described here makes use of aluminum panels on the main reflector of the Deep Space Network's (DSN's) 34-meter antennas at optical wavelengths by polishing and coating their surface to efficiently reflect near-infrared wavelengths in the 1,064 1,550-nanometer range. Achievable surface smoothness is not a limiting factor for aluminum panels, and initial field experiments indicate that the surface quality of microwave aluminum panels is sufficient to concentrate the light into small, but not diffraction-limited, spots at their primary focus. Preliminary analysis of data from high-quality microwave panels has shown that the light can be concentrated into 200 400 microradian cones, resulting in spot diameters of 2-4 mm at the 10-meter primary focus F(0) shown in the figure, or 2-4 cm spots at F(1) after magnification by the subreflector, which results in an effective focal length of about 100 meters. Three distinct implementation options are possible, with theoretically identical tracking and communications performance: Option 1: The communications assembly could be placed directly behind the subreflector at F(0), but this placement would require replacing the existing all-aluminum subreflector with a new design that transmits optical wavelengths but reflects RF, thus transmitting the optical signal to the primary focus of the parabolic polished aluminum panels at F(0), as shown in the figure. Option 2: Alternately, the optical communications assembly could be located near the first available focal-spot F(1) following reflection by the subreflector (which would have to be polished), next to the input to the beam waveguide on the main reflector as shown in the figure. Option 3: Finally, the optical communications assembly could be placed inside the pedestal room, and separated from the RF signal after the ellipsoid and before the signal reached the microwave receiver via an RF/optical dichroic near F(3).

Vilnrotter, Victor A.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Single-Antenna Temperature- and Humidity-Sounding Microwave Receiver

For humidity and temperature sounding of Earth s atmosphere, a single-antenna/LNA (low-noise amplifier) is needed in place of two separate antennas for the two frequency bands. This results in significant mass and power savings for GeoSTAR that is comprised of hundreds of antennas per frequency channel. Furthermore, spatial anti-aliasing would reduce the number of horns. An anti-aliasing horn antenna will enable focusing the instrument field of view to the hurricane corridor by reducing spatial aliasing, and thus reduce the number of required horns by up to 50 percent. The single antenna/receiver assembly was designed and fabricated by a commercial vendor. The 118 183-GHz horn is based upon a profiled, smooth-wall design, and the OMT (orthomode transducer) on a quad-ridge design. At the input end, the OMT presents four ver y closely spaced ridges [0.0007 in. (18 m)]. The fabricated assembly contains a single horn antenna and low-noise broadband receiver front-end assembly for passive remote sensing of both temperature and humidity profiles in the Earth s atmosphere at 118 and 183 GHz. The wideband feed with dual polarization capability is the first broadband low noise MMIC receiver with the 118 to 183 GHz bandwidth. This technology will significantly reduce PATH/GeoSTAR mass and power while maintaining 90 percent of the measurement capabilities. This is required for a Mission-of-Opportunity on NOAA s GOES-R satellite now being developed, which in turn will make it possible to implement a Decadal-Survey mission for a fraction of the cost and much sooner than would otherwise be possible.

Hoppe, Daniel J.↗
NASA NTRS2010

The Deep Space Network's X/X/Ka Feed: Modifications for 100 kW CW Uplink Operation

The Deep Space Network, which provides communication services for NASA's robotic missions, consists of a number of 34m beam waveguide antennas and conventional 70m dual-reflector antennas located around the globe, [1]. The 34m beam waveguide antennas employ a three-band feed covering the deep space uplink band near 7.2 GHz, and downlink bands at 8.45 and 32 GHz. Simultaneous uplink commanding at 25 kW CW and ultra low noise reception in both bands is supported along with monopulse tracking at 32 GHz, [2]. An existing uplink capability of 25 kW is also available on the 70m antennas using a more conventional X/X diplexing feed. In order to provide an equivalent uplink capability with the 34m antennas the X/X/Ka feed is currently being modified for 100 kW CW operation, [3]. Here we will discuss both the existing feed and the 100 kW modifications which are underway.

Feed Uplink↗
NASA NTRS2008

Wideband radial power combiner/divider fed by a mode transducer

A radial power combiner/divider capable of a higher order (for example, N=24) of power combining/dividing and a 15% bandwidth (31 to 36 GHz). The radial power combiner/divider generally comprises an axially-oriented mode transducer coupled to a radial base. The mode transducer transduces circular TE01 waveguide into rectangular TE10 waveguide, and the unique radial base combines/divides a plurality of peripheral rectangular waveguide ports into a single circular TE01 waveguide end of the transducer. The radial base incorporates full-height waveguides that are stepped down to reduced-height waveguides to form a stepped-impedance configuration, thereby reducing the height of the waveguides inside the base and increasing the order N of combining/dividing. The reduced-height waveguides in the base converge radially to a matching post at the bottom center of the radial base which matches the reduced height rectangular waveguides into the circular waveguide that feeds the mode transducer.

Epp, Larry W.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Fabrication and Characteristics of Free Standing Shaped Pupil Masks for TPF-Coronagraph

Direct imaging and characterization of exo-solar terrestrial planets require coronagraphic instruments capable of suppressing star light to 10-10. Pupil shaping masks have been proposed and designed1 at Princeton University to accomplish such a goal. Based on Princeton designs, free standing (without a substrate) silicon masks have been fabricated with lithographic and deep etching techniques. In this paper, we discuss the fabrication of such masks and present their physical and optical characteristics in relevance to their performance over the visible to near IR bandwidth.

terrestrial planet finder↗
NASA NTRS2005

Occulting focal plane masks for Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph: design, fabrication, simulations and test results

Occulting focal plane masks for the Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph (TPF-C) could be designed with continuous gray scale profile of the occulting pattern such as 1-sinc2 on a suitable material or with micron-scale binary transparent and opaque structures of metallic pattern on glass. We have designed, fabricated and tested both kinds of masks. The fundamental characteristics of such masks and initial test results from the High Contrast Imaging Test bed (HCIT) at JPL are presented.

adaptive optics↗
NASA NTRS2000

Analysis of the DFP/AFCS Systems for Compensating Gravity Distortions on the 70-Meter Antenna

This paper presents the theoretical computations showing the expected performances for both systems. The basic analysis tool is a Physical Optics reflector analysis code that was ported to a parallel computer for faster execution times. There are several steps involved in computing the RF performance of the various systems. 1 . A model of the RF distortions of the main reflector is required. This model is based upon measured holography maps of the 70-meter antenna obtained at 3 elevation angles. The holography maps are then processed (using an appropriate gravity mechanical model of the dish) to provide surface distortion maps at all elevation angles. 2. From the surface distortion maps, ray optics is used to determine the theoretical shape of the DFP that will exactly phase compensate the distortions. 3. From the theoretical shape and a NASTRAN mechanical model of the plate, the actuator positions that generate a surface that provides the best RMS fit to the theoretical model are selected. Using the actuator positions and the NASTRAN model provides an accurate description of the actual mirror shape. 4. Starting from the mechanical drawings of the feed, a computed RF feed pattern is generated. This pattern is expanded into a set of spherical wave modes so that a complete near field analysis of the reflector system can be obtained. 5. For the array feed, the excitation coefficients that provide the maximum gain are computed using a phase conjugate technique. The basic experimental geometry consisted of a dual shaped 70-meter antenna system; a refocusing ellipse, a DFP and an array feed system. To provide physical insight to the systems performance, focal plane field plots are presented at several elevations. Curves of predicted performance are shown for the DFP system, monopulse tracking system, AFCS and combined DFP/AFCS system. The calculated results show that the combined DFP/AFCS system is capable of recovering the majority of the gain lost due to gravity distortion.

Imbriale, William A.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Computing Radiation From Axisymmetric Waveguide Feed Horns

Hybrid finite-element method developed for computing radiation patterns and reflection coefficients of axisymmetric waveguide feed horns that include dielectric bodies like rods and radomes. Dielectric inhomogeneities introduced by such bodies and even anisotropies of some dielectric materials pose no special problem in method because requisite dielectric properties readily incorporated into finite elements used to model bodies.

Chinn, Gilbert C.↗