ENVISTACOM, L.L.C — Department of Defense SBIR Phase II: A16-032

Description

In 2016, Envistacom was awarded a Phase I SBIR for The US Army Communications Electronics R&D Command (CERDEC) for an electronically steered antenna. The objective of that effort was to develop a robust, low cost antenna to support Blue Force Tracking (BFT3) over the Wideband Global Satellite (WGS) MILSATCOM satellite constellation. Since that time, new requirements have emerged, such as the requirement to support Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations. Envistacom has identified a technical approach that is a logical follow-on and which has tremendous potential to meet the requirement for a low Size, Weight, and Power-Cost (SWAP-C) multi-band and multi-satellite antenna. The specific technology that Envistacom is proposing for this effort is a modified Luneburg Lens. Unlike phased array antennas, which rely on sophisticated and power consuming signal processing circuitry (analog and digital), a Luneburg lens has the attractive property that it can provide coverage over a large area, focusing beams from different directions to different locations on the back of the lens. Envistacom has acquired substantial expertise in-house in the modeling, and simulation of lens antennas. The anticipated outcome of this effort is an antenna that allows wide area coverage over multiple frequency bands.