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Geodesic Dome Phased Array AntennaADVANCED TECHNOLOGY

Ball Aerospace and its industry partners designed the GDPAA Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD) in support of the Air Force Satellite Control Network (AFSCN) vision of an integrated satellite control network. Built upon Ball Phased Array for Telemetry, Tracking and Command heritage, the GDPAA-ATD is jointly sponsored by the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center and Air Force Research Laboratory Sensors Directorate. Under the ATD contract, Ball developed, integrated and demonstrated technologies required to validate the GDPAA concept.

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Ball delivered the ATD hardware to Schriever Air Force Base and validated the GDPAA concept of using a geodesic dome phased array antenna for ground-based satellite communication links.

GDPAA 3rd GenerationThe ATD multi-beam, phased array technology provides more �exible and reliable satellite telemetry, tracking and command capabilities, and communications for the Air Force. The AFSCN provides global support for operational space systems and research, development, test and evaluation. AFSCN also provides highly reliable, integrated command and control, communications and sensor systems to support the national space launch, surveillance, navigation, communications and weather satellite operations. The phased array technology enhances responsiveness by improving operational utility including multiple simultaneous contacts, gain on demand, reduced operator load, graceful degradation, hot maintenance and electronic scan. The ATD is adaptable to new Satellite Operations concepts.

The ATD demonstration achievements include: passive “shadow” supports; ‘Slave’ bus and open loop pointing; beam walking with and without beam con�ict; beam arbitration; reporting status of operational system; and concurrent maintenance. During the ATD demonstration six opportunities were presented to support multiple contacts to various vehicles and the bore site tower.

The ATD demonstrated increased availability, capacity, �exibility and feasibility of the full-size GDPAA for a common antenna network for satellite operations. Full-scale GDPAA enhancements include: • Four simultaneous, full-duplex beams for satellite

command and control• Geodesic shape enables beams to be pointed in

any direction in milliseconds• Distributed elements and components meaning

graceful degradation• Modules or components can be replaced

while operational• SGLS and USB capability for support at GPS,

NDS, NASA/NOAA, and other agencies with spaced-based assets

• Interoperable with U.S. Air Force (USAF) Remote Tracking Station Block Change (RBC) investment

Ball integrated T/R modules and subarrays into the ATD structure to facilitate the network interfaces and guide the system level design. The ATD e�ort can be leveraged to augment single-beam systems using the

GDPAA system. Additional promising applications for this technology include transportable, x-band radar, and multi-band phased array derivatives.

The GDPAA ATD test antenna supports multiple satellites from a single site. Antenna con�guration is a full dome scalable sector.

The GDPAA ATD continues the Ball legacy of previous phased array architecture on such programs as the multi-user ground system and the Wallops Island Phased-Array Antenna for Telemetry (PAT), Tracking and Command demonstration.

PAT 1st GenerationThe USAF, through the Air Force Research Lab and the Space Battlelab, awarded Ball a PAT contract to deliver a new antenna technology to signi�cantly improve the ability to meet current and future requirements through its innovative phased array concept.

The demonstration of the phased array utility for the satellite control was held at Wallops Island in August 2004. Using USB (NASA) and SGLS (DoD) links, the antenna steered four independent beams, two of which were transmitting and two which were receiving.

MUGS 2nd GenerationThe PAT array was on loan from The U.S. Air Force to the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Battle Lab for the Multi-Use Ground Station (MUGS) program until mid 2008. Ball was the antenna integrator and provided satellite test support. The MUGS program is a prototype mobile ground station and command, control and communications test bed. The PAT array ties directly into the Virtual Mission Operations Center.

Ball phased array targets tactical satellite control.