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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1980

Advanced communications satellites

The increase in demand for satellite communications services brought about shortages in available transponder capacity, especially at C-band. Interest shifted to the Ku-band frequency and currently carriers are rapidly moving to secure orbital slots for future satellite development. Projections of communications service demands over the next decade indiate growth in voice, data, and video services such that saturation of both C-band and Ku-band will occur by 1990. Emphasis must and will shift to Ka-band (20/30 GHz) frequency for fixed-satellite service. Advanced technologies such as multibeam antennas coupled with on-board satellite switching to allow implementation in this band of very high capacity satellite systems will be applied to meet the demand. Satellite system concepts that are likely in the 1990's and are likely to bring a new dimension to satellite delivered communication service are presented. The NASA 30/20 GHz communications satellite system demonstration program is discussed with emphasis on the related technology development.

Sivo, J. N.↗
NASA NTRS1980

A new phase for NASA's communications satellite program

NASA's research in communications satellite technology is discussed, including orbit-efficient techniques and applications by the commercial sector. Attention is given to expanding the capacities of the C-band (6-4 GHz) and the Ku-band (14-11 GHz), opening the Ka-band (30/20 GHz), broadly applied 're-use' of the spectrum, and developing multibeam spacecraft antennas with on-board switching. Increasing wideband services in video, high-speed data, and voice trunking is considered, as are narrow-band systems that may be used for data collection or public safety, with possible expansion to a thin-route satellite system. In particular, communication for medical, disaster, or search-and-rescue emergencies may be met by the integration of a satellite service with land mobile communications via terrestrial radio links. Also considered is a large geostationary platform providing electrical power, thermal rejection, and orbital station-keeping for many communications payloads.

Dement, D. K.↗
NASA NTRS1981

The 30/20 GHz demonstration system SSUS-D/BSE

The systems consisting of a 30/20 GHz communication satellite featuring a multiple fixed beam and scanning beam antenna, SS-TDMA, onboard processing and high power TWT's and IMPATT amplifiers, a trunking space-diversity Earth station, a customer premise system (CPS) portable Earth station and a Master Control Station. Hardware, software and personnel are included to build and launch one satellite and to carry on a two year experimentation and demonstration period of advanced Ka-band systems concepts and technology. Included are first level plans identifying all tasks, a schedule for system development and an assessment of critical technology and risk and a preliminary experiments plan.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1980

Adaptive rain fade compensation

A large available margin must be provided for satellite communications systems operating near 20 GHz, which occasionally experience fades due to rain attenuation. It is proposed that this margin may be achieved in high-capacity FDMA satellites by dynamically providing a large margin to those links which are experiencing deep fades, while maintaining a small fade margin on all others. Single-beam SCPC operation and multiple-beam, satellite-switched FDMA systems are described, and the optimization of the dynamic FDMA links in a severely fading environment is investigated. A solution is derived which takes into account: (1) transponder intermodulation distortion, (2) cochannel and cross-polarization antenna interference, and (3) rain fade characteristics. The sample system configuration presented shows that such systems reach availability levels approaching 0.9999 at Ka-Band.

Rautio, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1980

30/20 GHz demonstration system for improving orbit utilization

To guard against severe rain losses at 30 and 20 GHz, techniques are being developed which provide the high antenna gain needed to increase communications margins and frequency reuse capability through beam isolation, while providing complete coverage of the U.S. Effective bandwidths from a single satellite location may then reach tens of gigahertz, with capacity tailored to match nonuniform geographic demand patterns. Satellite onboard processing which includes forward-error-correction and the routing of channels to terminals will reduce scanning antenna requirements and increase rain margins, through the adaptive use of system margins to support those terminals experiencing rain. These antenna and onboard processing techniques are adaptable to C-band and Ku-band, in addition to Ka-band.

Holmes, W. M., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Concept for advanced satellite communications and required technologies

The advanced communications technology satellite (ACTS) program of NASA is aimed at the development of high risk technologies that will enable exploiting higher frequency bands and techniques for improving frequency reuse. The technologies under development include multiple beam spacecraft antennas, on-board switching and processing, RF devices and components and advanced Earth stations. The program focus is on the Ka-band (30/20 GHz) as the implementing frequency since it has five times the bandwidth of either the C- or Ku-bands. However, the technology being developed is applicable to other frequency bands as well and will support a wide range of future communications systems required by NASA, other Government agencies and the commercial sector. An overview is presented of an operational 30/20 GHz satellite system that may evolve. How the system addresses service requirements is discussed, and the technology required and being developed is considered.

Ramler, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Satellite provided customer premise services: A forecast of potential domestic demand through the year 2000. Volume 3: Appendices

Voice applications, data applications, video applications, impacted baseline forecasts, market distribution, potential CPS (customers premises services) user classes, net long haul forecasts, CPS cost analysis, overall satellite forecast, CPS satellite market, Ka-band CPS satellite forecast, nationwide traffic distribution model, and intra-urban topology are discussed.

Kratochvil, D.↗
NASA NTRS1983

A comparison of Frequency Domain Multiple Access (FDMA) and Time Domain Multiple Access (TDMA) approaches to satellite service for low data rate Earth stations

A technological and economic assessment is made of providing low data rate service to small earth stations by satellite at Ka-band. Various Frequency Domain Multiple Access (FDMA) and Time Domain Multiple Access (TDMA) scenarios are examined and compared on the basis of cost to the end user. Very small stations (1 to 2 meters in diameter) are found not to be viable alternatives to available terrestrial services. However, medium size (3 to 5 meters) earth stations appear to be very competitive if a minimum throughput of about 1.5 Mbs is maintained. This constrains the use of such terminals to large users and shared use by smaller users. No advantage was found to the use of FDMA. TDMA had a slight advantage from a total system viewpoint and a very significant advantage in the space segment (about 1/3 the required payload weight for an equivalent capacity).

Stevens, G.↗
NASA NTRS1983

The 30 GHz communications satellite low noise receiver

A Ka-band low noise front end in proof of concept (POC) model form for ultimate spaceborne communications receiver deployment was developed. The low noise receiver consists of a 27.5 to 30.0 GHz image enhanced mixer integrated with a 3.7 to 6.2 GHz FET low noise IF amplifier and driven by a self contained 23.8 GHz phase locked local oscillator source. The measured level of receiver performance over the 27.3 to 30.0 GHz RF/3.7 to 6.2 GHz IF band includes 5.5 to 6.5 dB (typ) SSB noise figure, 20.5 + or - 1.5 dB conversion gain and +23 dBm minimum third order two tone intermodulation output intercept point.

Steffek, L. J.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Concept for advanced satellite communications and required technologies

The advanced communications technology satellite (ACTS) program of NASA is aimed at the development of high risk technologies that will enable exploiting higher frequency bands and techniques for improving frequency reuse. The technologies under development include multiple beam spacecraft antennas, on-board switching and processing, RF devices and components and advanced earth stations. The program focus is on the Ka-band (30/20 GHz) as the implementing frequency since it has five times the bandwidth of either the C- or Ku-bands. However, the technology being developed is applicable to other frequency bands as well and will support a wide range of future communications systems required by NASA, other Government agencies and the commercial sector. An overview is presented of an operational 30/20 GHz satellite system that may evolve. How the system addresses service requirements is discussed, and the technology required and being developed is considered. Previously announced in STAR as N83-11210

Ramler, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1985

An experimental TE sub 12 - TE sub 11 circular waveguide mode converter

Theoretical and experimental results for a prototype TE sub 12 to TE sub 11 circular waveguide mode converter are discussed. The system which requires such device, the high power Ka-Band transmitter is described briefly. A short review of coupled mode theory is given, and the theoretical performance of the final converter design is given. Experimental results for the fabricated converter are presented and compared with theory. A method of identifying the various circular waveguide modes in a multimode device is described. Given the close agreement between the theoretical predictions and experimental results, the computer code may be used with confidence in the design of future multimode tapers and mode converters.

Hoppe, D.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Propagation and radiation characteristics of a multimode corrugated waveguide feedhorn

A prototype of the multimode corrugated feedhorn which will be used in the 400 kW CW Ka-band radar system is described. A rough design is done using coupled mode theory and standard corrugated waveguide modes. A more exact analysis using mode matching techniques is then used which takes into account the effect of a finite number of corrugations per wavelength and determines the modes which are reflected from the device. A prototype feedhorn has been constructed and measured. These experimental results are then compared to the theoretical predictions which agree satisfactorily closely.

Hoppe, D.↗
NASA NTRS1986

ACTS Experiments Program

An overview of the ACTS Experiments Program is presented. ACTS is being developed and will flight test the advanced technologies associated with: a Ka-band multibeam antenna, onboard signal processing and switching as well as laser communications. A nominal 3 yr experiments program is planned. Through the experiments program, the capabilities of the ACTS system will be made available to U.S. industry, university and government experimenters to test, prove the feasibility and evaluate the key ACTS system technologies. Communication modes of operation using the baseband processor and microwave switch matrix are presented, along with the antenna coverage pattern. Potential experiment categories are also presented and briefly discussed. An overall schedule of activities associated with the experiments program is outlined. Results of the ACTS Experiments Program will provide information vital to successful industry implementation of ACTS technology in a future operational system.

Schertler, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Propagation through Martian dust at 8.5 and 32 GHz

Independent studies of attenuation of X-band (8.5 GHz) and Ka-band (32 Ghz) radio signals when traversing Martian dust were carried out. These analyses turned out remarkably similar. The computational method is essentially that of T. S. Chu but uses observed optical depth at 0.67 microns rather than visibility as the measure of optical attenuation from which to derive the microwave attenuation. An awkwardness in the approach is that the size distribution of Martian dust particles is not well known, but the mean is probably around 4 microns, whereas in the terrestrial case it is nearer 10 microns. As a consequence, there will be a larger tail of particles still in the Mie regime in the Martian case as compared to the terrestrial one. The computational error will, therefore, be somewhat larger for Martian than Earth-bound dust. Fortunately, the indicated attenuations are small enough for the worst case (1.3 dB at 32 GHz) that the error is academic.

Smith, E. K.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Verification results for a two-scale model of microwave backscatter from the sea surface

The backscatter model of Donelan and Pierson (1986) was adjusted to fit Ku-Band at 13.9 GHz. Data from L to Ka-band are used to test the model. In general, there is no power law. When the wind drops below certain threshold speeds there may be no detectable Bragg backscatter. Saturation may occur at high winds. Results from the Seasat-SASS are used to substantiate the predictions of the model. Suggestions for experiments for determining the overall validity of the model are made.

Pierson, W. J., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1987

The Telecommunications and Data Acquisition Report

Topics addressed include: tracking and ground-based navigation; communications, spacecraft-ground; station control and system technology; capabilities for existing projects; network upgrade and sustaining; mission interface and support; and Ka-band capabilities.

Posner, E. C.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Propagation characteristics of some novel coplanar waveguide transmission lines on GaAs at MM-wave frequencies

Three new Coplanar Waveguide (CPW) transmission lines, namely, Suspended CPW (SCPW), Stripline-like Suspended CPW (SSCPW) and Inverted CPW (ICPW), are proposed and also analyzed for their propagation characteristics. The substrate thickness, permittivity and dimensions of housing are assumed to be arbitrary. These structures have the following advantages over conventional CPW. Firstly, the ratio of guide wavelength to free space wavelength is closer to unity which results in larger dimensions and hence lower tolerances. Secondly, the effective dielectric constant is lower and hence the electromagnetic field energies are concentrated more in the air regions which should reduce attenuation. Thirdly, for a prescribed impedance level, the above structures have a wider slot width for identical strip width. Thus, low impedance lines can be achieved with reasonable slot dimensions. Fourthly, in an inverted CPW shunt mounting of active devices, such as Gunn and IMPATT diodes, between the strip and the metal trough is possible. This feature further enhances the attractiveness of the above structures. Lastly, an E-plane probe type transition from a rectangular waveguide to suspended CPW can also be easily realized. The computed results for GaAs at Ka-band illustrate the variation of normalized guide wavelength, effective dielectric constant and the characteristic impedance as a function of the: (1) frequency; (2) distance of separation between the trough side walls; (3) normalized strip and slot widths; and (4) normalized air gap.

Simons, Rainee N.↗
NASA NTRS1986

30 GHz monolithic balanced mixers using an ion-implanted FET-compatible 3-inch GaAs wafer process technology

An all ion-implanted Schottky barrier mixer diode which has a cutoff frequency greater than 1000 GHz has been developed. This new device is planar and FET-compatible and employs a projection lithography 3-inch wafer process. A Ka-band monolithic balanced mixer based on this device has been designed, fabricated and tested. A conversion loss of 8 dB has been measured with a LO drive of 10 dBm at 30 GHz.

Bauhahn, P.↗