Abstract: A Reconfigurable, Flexible Multi-User (RFMU) electronically steered antenna (ESA) includes a top panel and a number of side panels that enable many contacts simultaneously with varying gain requirements from a single, in situ, installation. The top panel includes multiple subarrays and can communicate with flyover satellites, and the side panels can communicate with satellites flying past a side of the ESA. The top panel and the side panels can achieve a beam steering that covers a full or partial, variable gain, hemispheric field-of-view (FoV). The RFMU ESA terminal top and side panels are scalable using flexible modular building blocks. This enables increased contacts, increased gain or a combination thereof sized to meet desired performance.

Abstract: A Reconfigurable, Flexible Multi-User (RFMU) electronically steered antenna (ESA) includes a top panel and a number of side panels that enable many contacts simultaneously with varying gain requirements from a single, in situ, installation. The top panel includes multiple subarrays and can communicate with flyover satellites, and the side panels can communicate with satellites flying past a side of the ESA. The top panel and the side panels can achieve a beam steering that covers a full or partial, variable gain, hemispheric field-of-view (FoV). The RFMU ESA terminal top and side panels are scalable using flexible modular building blocks. This enables increased contacts, increased gain or a combination thereof sized to meet desired performance.

Abstract: A switch network for switching network inputs to network outputs includes an initial terminal, an intermediate, and a final terminal layer of switches. The initial terminal layer of switches provides fan-out of the network inputs to widely separated locations in the intermediate layer. The intermediate layer of switches includes two sublayers: a first sublayer providing horizontally aligned fan-outs to the final terminal layer of switches and a second sublayer providing vertically aligned fan-outs to the final terminal layer of switches. The final terminal layer of switches includes a left sublayer and a right sublayer. The left sublayer provides fan-in from the vertically aligned fan-outs and the horizontally aligned fan-outs to the network outputs; the right sublayer provides fan-in from the vertically aligned fan-outs and the horizontally aligned fan-outs to the network outputs; and the fan-in provided by the left sublayer is orthogonal to the fan-in provided by the right sublayer.

Abstract: A switch network for switching network inputs to network outputs includes an initial terminal, an intermediate, and a final terminal layer of switches. The initial terminal layer of switches provides fan-out of the network inputs to widely separated locations in the intermediate layer. The intermediate layer of switches includes two sublayers: a first sublayer providing horizontally aligned fan-outs to the final terminal layer of switches and a second sublayer providing vertically aligned fan-outs to the final terminal layer of switches. The final terminal layer of switches includes a left sublayer and a right sublayer. The left sublayer provides fan-in from the vertically aligned fan-outs and the horizontally aligned fan-outs to the network outputs; the right sublayer provides fan-in from the vertically aligned fan-outs and the horizontally aligned fan-outs to the network outputs; and the fan-in provided by the left sublayer is orthogonal to the fan-in provided by the right sublayer.

Abstract: A redundant microwave system operable to process a microwave signal propagating in a microwave cavity includes a microwave cavity and two microwave processing devices. Each microwave processing device has a transmissive impedance when it is on and a reflective impedance when it is off. There is a separate coupling probe extending from each of the microwave processing devices to locations within the microwave cavity. When a primary one of the microwave processing devices is switched on and the redundant microwave processing device is switched off, its coupling probe reflects energy so that almost all of the energy flows through the primary microwave processing device. If the primary microwave processing device fails and is switched off, its coupling probe reflects energy so that almost all energy flows through the redundant device. No separate active switching device or circuit is used.

Abstract: A microwave microstrip/waveguide transition structure includes a substrate, an elongated microstrip layer residing on a surface of the substrate, and an elongated integral hollow waveguide on the surface of the substrate. The microstrip layer and a side of the hollow waveguide constitute a single continuous piece of metal. The transition structure is fabricated by providing a substrate, depositing a metallic layer on the substrate, and depositing a metallic hollow housing continuous with a portion of a length of the metallic layer. The metallic hollow waveguide bounded by the metallic layer and the metallic hollow housing and having a contained volume therewithin is thereby defined.