Air Force Research Lab
Selects ThinKom for Next-gen Gateway Solution
The multi-million-dollar
contract calls for the delivery of a fully
integrated, modular, and scalable solution that
combines multiple ThinKom VICTS phased-array
antennas
Recent advancements in
satellite and launch technology have outpaced
improvements in the ground segment. With
non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) constellations
growing at an astounding pace, disruptive
technology is needed to deliver dramatic
improvements in gateway performance.
To meet that challenge, the
United States Air Force Research Laboratory
(AFRL) has contracted with ThinKom Solutions,
Inc. to deliver a modular and scalable
phased-array antenna solution to support ground
segment operations.
ThinKom’s modular,
scalable, flexible gateway array solution will
soon deliver next-gen ground services for the US
Air Force Research Laboratory as part of a
multi-million dollar contract
The new ThinKom gateway
array delivers a fully customizable solution,
allowing for multi-beam, multi-orbit,
multi-frequency services in a compact,
low-power, resilient design. Built on ThinKom’s
field-proven, patented VICTS (Variable
Inclination Continuous Transverse Stub)
technology, it is a modular system enabled by
digitally combining independently controlled
antennas into compact, highly efficient arrays.
“The next generation of
satellite networks requires a new paradigm in
the ground segment,” said Bill Milroy, ThinKom
Chairman and Chief Technology Officer. “ThinKom
has a strong history of delivering
high-performance antenna hardware to the US
government. We are excited to extend that
relationship with the AFRL, taking our proven
technology, and scaling it up to deliver
future-proof gateway connectivity to every orbit
and every frequency.”
ThinKom’s software-defined,
modular gateway is fully customizable, depending
on the specific implementation requirements.
This dynamic flexibility delivers improved
performance in key use cases and was recently
recognized by Via Satellite as the ‘Satellite
Technology of the Year.’
Growing demand for
satellite broadband and Earth observation via
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Medium Earth Orbit
(MEO) constellations requires more beams to
track the multitude of satellites overhead.
ThinKom’s new modular approach can provide
multiple independent beams, each connecting to a
different satellite while managed by a
proprietary digital beamformer.
The array repoints from a
setting satellite to a rising one nearly
instantly, matching a key advantage of
electronically steered antennas (ESAs).
Alternatively, with the multiple antenna modules
available, the ThinKom gateway array can deliver
make-before-break handovers for truly
uninterrupted communications.
ThinKom’s solution brings
significant advantages to comparable parabolic
or ESA options. The low-profile design enables
“hide-in-plain-sight” installations,
unobtrusively fitting in areas where a parabolic
dish would be easily detected or otherwise
unwelcome. The design also boasts near-zero wind
loading, requires minimal real estate and allows
multiple arrays to be closely collocated without
risk of blockage.
At the same time, the
ThinKom gateway array delivers the high spectral
efficiency its VICTS technology is known for,
with low prime power draw.
The modular structure also
dramatically improves system resiliency and
redundancy. An installation site could, for
example, swap out one damaged aperture while all
others in the array remain active. The
relatively small size of each component allows
those swaps to occur with just a couple
technicians, rather than requiring heavy-lift
equipment.
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