Antenna technology for Space Force SATCOM demoed by L3Harris
NewsJanuary 15, 2021
MELBOURNE, Fla. L3Harris Technologies has completed a technology demonstration, under a Defense Innovation Unit prototype contract, for the U.S. Space Force satellite communication system to improve communications with the agency’s growing number of satellites.
L3Harris developed a Multi-Band Multi-Mission (MBMM) phased array ground antenna system and integrated it with the Space Force’s Satellite Communication (SATCOM) Network system in order to demonstrate multiple simultaneous satellite contacts.
According to the company, the MBMM system’s all-digital architecture established 16 simultaneous contacts during the demonstration. The system is designed to scale up to support hundreds of concurrent satellite connections from a single phased array antenna system, intended to reduce the physical footprint needed for ground antennas and lowering the infrastructure cost per satellite contact.
Officials claim that the L3Harris demonstration confirmed live contacts with Space Force satellites across multiple orbital regimes at Schriever Air Force Base in Colorado. L3Harris performed the demonstration with support from Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. and Mercury Systems.
