Advanced Inter-Satellite Communication Payload on Small Satellite
To develop a cost-effective RF-based advanced inter-satellite communication payload on a small satellite and to achieve high data rate link to LEO satellite anytime and anywhere.
This project is multi-disciplinary and involves multiple IHLs comprising of A*STAR-I2R, NUS and NUS-STAR, with early industry involvements from Addvalue Technologies.
• Increase in the number of Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) imaging satellites launched placing strong demand for effective data download solutions.
• LEO-GEO/MEO inter-satellite communication enables real-time data download anywhere, anytime, thus unlocking new opportunities for Space.
• Industry’s needs:
1) High data rate inter-satellite communication link subject to size, weight and power (SWaP) constraints of small satellite;
2) High accuracy in beam pointing / directivity;
3) Wide scan angle;
4) Support of spotbeam mobility management.
Preliminary satellite design with payload electronics within
TECHNOLOGY FEATURES
• Hybrid beamforming using A*STAR’s patented beam steering architecture to enable high resolution beam steering (1°) to meet accurate beam pointing and discrimination requirements.
• Innovative antenna design using A*STAR’s patented meta-surface wideband antenna to offer wide-scan angle (±90°) coverage for higher data rate (> 50 Mbps) inter-satellite communications.
• Spot beam and mobility management collaborating with Addvalue.
• Indigenous 27U small satellite design (50~75kg) using NUS’s patented modular and scalable bus system with in-orbit firmware update and fault tolerant features. Assembly, Integration and Testing (AIT) of the small satellite with the payload will be performed at NUS STAR’s facility.
Ka-band deployable antenna array
NEW APPLICATIONS
• The cost-effective inter-satellite communication enables earth station to achieve real-time data link to LEO satellite, anytime and anywhere, unlocking new opportunities for Space.