Prototype Reflectarray Antenna Demonstrates Low-SWaP Anti-Jam Tactical SATCOM

This prototype array uses a small, lightweight, low-power, and low-cost aperture.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington, MA

Preventing adversaries from interfering with communications is crucial to national security. Tactical satellite communications (SATCOM) focus on securing reliable communications channels against adversaries in contested environments. In support of this mission, a team from MIT Lincoln Laboratory is building a prototype antenna characterized by low size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C).

Threats in contested environments - specifically proliferated low-Earth orbit (pLEO), where satellites must be as low-SWaP as possible because of the high volume of satellites present - are signal jamming and signals intelligence. Mitigating these threats through methods such as changing the shape of antenna beams in real time so that the ground user's signals can't be interfered with and preparing for future advanced capabilities are key to ensuring that satellites stay in communication with users on the ground.