WILDSTAR LLC — Department of Defense SBIR Phase II: X224-ODCSO2

Description

WildStar is developing a spacecraft with the world’s first ultra-high gain LEO VHF Antenna Array (LVAA), which with the addition of the proper electronics can be operated as a Leo VHF Electronically Steerable Array (LVESA). The E-Space VHF antenna array will have tremendous value for the Space Force as it will be the only system capable of communicating with very small low power StarTag devices in Non-Line of Sight (NLOS) environments. WildStar will work with the US Space Force to determine the use cases for the narrowband communications and the required data rates for each application.  WildStar will perform the link analysis for each use case and present the expected data rates to the US Space Force. WildStar will install one of its thin low-cost satellite communications payload antennas at the RF test facility at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Crane, Indiana to demonstrate that it can operate with its small StarTags, with clear line of sight connectivity and when hidden under dense foliage and other requirements as set out in the test plan, to deliver the required data rates. WildStar will measure link performance, data rates, and further demonstrate that the StarTags can achieve useful multi-megabit throughput when they are in any physical orientation.  WildStar will record test results and deliver a test report to the US Space Force that confirms the link performance and data rates that can be achieved in a wide variety of scenarios.