Abstract: System for storing and using energy quantum mechanically includes an electronic device that produces heat while operating. A quantum heat engine can be in thermal contact with and electrically connected to the electronic device. The heat produced by the electronic device can dissipate to the quantum heat engine. The quantum heat engine can induce a current to bias the electronic device. Methods for storing and using memory resource to convert heat into electrical work, coherence capacitors, methods for quantum energy storage, and quantum heat engines, are also disclosed.

Abstract: System for storing and using energy quantum mechanically includes an electronic device that produces heat while operating. A quantum heat engine can be in thermal contact with and electrically connected to the electronic device. The heat produced by the electronic device can dissipate to the quantum heat engine. The quantum heat engine can induce a current to bias the electronic device. Methods for storing and using memory resource to convert heat into electrical work, coherence capacitors, methods for quantum energy storage, and quantum heat engines, are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system for interference suppression onboard a satellite includes a beamforming module that processes radio-frequency (RF) signals originated from a plurality of antenna elements of an array antenna to generate multiple analog signals. At least one of the analog signals is an anti-interference signal. Analog-to-digital converters convert the analog signals to a number of digital signals. A processing module processes the digital signals to generate a phase and amplitude control signal. A summation module generates one or more composite signals with reduced interference.

Abstract: A monitoring system for a satellite is disclosed. The satellite includes a bus, an optical sensor configured to optically detect objects in a first zone extending from the satellite, and a solar assembly comprising a solar panel and a radar device. The radar device can be configured to detect objects in a second zone, different from the first zone, extending from the satellite in a direction transverse to a surface of the solar panel.

Abstract: A system for interference suppression onboard a satellite includes a beamforming module that processes radio-frequency (RF) signals originated from a plurality of antenna elements of an array antenna to generate multiple analog signals. At least one of the analog signals is an anti-interference signal. Analog-to-digital converters convert the analog signals to a number of digital signals. A processing module processes the digital signals to generate a phase and amplitude control signal. A summation module generates one or more composite signals with reduced interference.

Abstract: A method of processing signals received and transmitted between a satellite and sub-arrays of an antenna array. The satellite emits an analog signal received by the sub-arrays, each sub-array in turn produces a corresponding output. The array's total output is approximated by designating one of the sub-array's output as a reference output, and digitally forming a series of beams that consist of the reference output and permutations of the other sub-array outputs with either no time delay or with a time delay applied. A high power beam from the series is selected for cross correlation with each sub-array output to determine the signal's relative arrival time at each sub-array. Each sub-array output is time delayed based on the signal arrival time at that sub-array. The time delayed outputs are combined to form a high gain beam.

Abstract: A method of processing signals received and transmitted between a satellite and sub-arrays of an antenna array. The satellite emits an analog signal received by the sub-arrays, each sub-array in turn produces a corresponding output. The array's total output is approximated by designating one of the sub-array's output as a reference output, and digitally forming a series of beams that consist of the reference output and permutations of the other sub-array outputs with either no time delay or with a time delay applied. A high power beam from the series is selected for cross correlation with each sub-array output to determine the signal's relative arrival time at each sub-array. Each sub-array output is time delayed based on the signal arrival time at that sub-array. The time delayed outputs are combined to form a high gain beam.

Abstract: A phased array antenna system is provided, which includes one or more switchable sub-groups. Each switchable sub-group can be switchably configured to associate one or more waveform signals with one or more of a plurality of controller circuits using a first switching network, and to associate one or more of the plurality of controller circuits with one or more of a plurality of antenna elements using a second switching network. The switching networks permit a phased array antenna system to switchably control one or more beams, with different scanning ranges and coverage areas depending upon mission requirements.

Abstract: A satellite communications system is described for increasing capacity through spectrum reuse by multiple satellites. The system includes a constellation of satellites traveling in a geosynchronous orbit, where the geosynchronous orbit defines a ground track. The satellites operate in a first mode when traveling in a first latitudinal direction on the satellite track and in a second mode when traveling in a second latitudinal direction on the satellite track. By using different operation modes, satellites traveling in opposite latitudinal directions do not interfere with each other. Each of the satellites maintains a minimum spacing apart from other satellites moving in the same latitudinal direction to prevent interference from satellites using the same operation mode.

Abstract: An antenna system is provided. The antenna system comprises a first antenna with a first operating frequency and a second antenna with a second operating frequency. The second antenna has a first near field with a first near region in which the first antenna is disposed and a second near region. The second antenna has a first gain in the first near region which is lower than a second gain in the second near region. The first gain and the second gain are both at a same one of the first operating frequency and the second operating frequency.

Abstract: A true time delay (“TTD”) system with wideband passive amplitude compensation is provided. The TTD system includes an input switch, an output switch, a reference delay line disposed between the input switch and the output switch, and time delay lines disposed between the input switch and the output switch. Each time delay line (“TDL”) has a different line length, and includes a center conductor between two corresponding ground planes. Each center conductor has a width and is separated from the two corresponding ground planes by a gap space. For each TDL, the width of the center conductor is configured such that a loss of the TDL is substantially the same as a loss of every other TDL over a range of operating frequencies. For each TDL, the gap space is configured such that an impedance of the TDL is substantially the same as an impedance of every other TDL.

Abstract: A satellite communications system is described for increasing capacity through spectrum reuse by multiple satellites. The system includes a constellation of satellites traveling in a geosynchronous orbit, where the geosynchronous orbit defines a satellite track. The satellite track of the constellation overlaps a geostationary orbital location occupied by a legacy satellite traveling in a geostationary orbit. To prevent interference between the co-located constellation and legacy satellite, each of the constellation satellites operates in a silent mode when traveling within an interference beam width of a ground terminal in communication with the legacy satellite. Once outside of the interference beam width, the constellation satellites return to an active mode of operation.

Abstract: A shared beamformer flexibly allocates beams among clusters of beams produced by phased array antenna apertures that are deployed on a satellite (or other type of platform). By sharing the beamformer among the beam clusters, if one beam cluster is not providing useful coverage, the beams may be reallocated to one or more other beam clusters that are providing useful coverage. To share the beamformer among the beam clusters, a selector network is used to select which particular beam cluster (or clusters) is used for producing one or more narrow beams that are constrained to the coverage area of the beam cluster (or clusters).

Abstract: A shared beamformer flexibly allocates beams among clusters of beams produced by phased array antenna apertures that are deployed on a satellite (or other type of platform). By sharing the beamformer among the beam clusters, if one beam cluster is not providing useful coverage, the beams may be reallocated to one or more other beam clusters that are providing useful coverage. To share the beamformer among the beam clusters, a selector network is used to select which particular beam cluster (or clusters) is used for producing one or more narrow beams that are constrained to the coverage area of the beam cluster (or clusters).

Abstract: A power system flexibly distributes power among phased array antenna apertures of a satellite (or other type of platform). By allocating the power provided by a power source among the apertures, if one aperture is not providing useful coverage (due to orientation, light traffic volume, aperture operating frequency and/or polarization, etc.), power being supplied to that aperture may be reallocated to one or more other apertures that are providing useful coverage. To flexibly allocate power among the apertures, power amplifiers and attenuators associated with each antenna element are adjusted to provide a wide range of RF output powers with high efficiency at all output power levels. By increasing power allocation efficiency, the size of the satellite power source may be reduced while appropriate power is still provided.

Abstract: A shared beamformer flexibly allocates beams among phased array antenna apertures of a satellite (or other type of platform). By sharing the beamformer among the apertures, if one aperture is not providing useful coverage (due to orientation, traffic volume, signal frequency, signal polarization, etc.), the beams may be reallocated to one or more other apertures that are providing useful coverage. To share the beamformer among the phased array antenna apertures, a selector network (e.g., one or more switches) is used to select which particular apertures are to send or receive signals.

Abstract: A shared beamformer flexibly allocates beams among phased array antenna apertures of a satellite (or other type of platform). By sharing the beamformer among the apertures, if one aperture is not providing useful coverage (due to orientation, traffic volume, signal frequency, signal polarization, etc.), the beams may be reallocated to one or more other apertures that are providing useful coverage. To share the beamformer among the phased array antenna apertures, a selector network (e.g., one or more switches) is used to select which particular apertures are to send or receive signals.

Abstract: A concentric arrangement of multiple spacecraft antennas mounted symmetrically about the yaw axis of rotation or center of gravity of the spacecraft that provides the capability for spacecraft with multiple antennas to maneuver without introducing errors into navigation signals and without adding complexity to the spacecraft and/or remote terminals. An arrangement of multiple spacecraft antennas comprising a first antenna array mounted on a spacecraft bus, the first antenna array having a center located on a yaw axis of the spacecraft and a second antenna array mounted on the spacecraft bus, the second antenna array having a coincident or overlapping frequency band as the first antenna array and mounted symmetrically about the yaw axis of the spacecraft in a central portion of the first antenna array so as to be concentric with the first antenna array.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an antenna comprising a first antenna array. The first antenna array comprises one or more antenna elements of a first antenna element type in a first region of the antenna array, and a plurality of antenna elements of a second antenna element type in a second region of the antenna array. In one embodiment, the first region of the first antenna array is a central region, and the second region of the first antenna array is a region outside of the central region. In one embodiment, the first antenna array comprises a spacecraft antenna mounted on a spacecraft bus. In another embodiment, the first antenna array comprises a deployed antenna array on a spacecraft.

Abstract: A modular phased array antenna provides a reduction in the error signals that are introduced into beam signals by electromagnetic coupling that is inexpensive and does not cause an increase in weight or in power consumption. A modular phased array antenna has irregular or random connections of beam signals to beam ports of each modular antenna assembly so as to provide improved beam-to-beam isolation. A modular phased array antenna comprises a plurality of modular antenna assemblies, each modular antenna assembly having a plurality of beam ports, each beam port of a modular antenna assembly connected to a different beam signal, wherein the beam signals are irregularly connected to the beam ports relative to the modular antenna assemblies. The beam signals may be randomly connected to the beam ports relative to the modular antenna assemblies.