GAIA

PHOTONICS FRONT-END FOR NEXT-GENERATION SAR APPLICATIONS

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'The evolution of SAR has shown a clear trend towards higher performance at lower cost, less mass, size and power consumption imposing strong requirements in the today’s antenna technology since larger antennas means complex, bulky, difficult to route RF harness, and strong mechanical and thermal requirements for in-orbit deployable antennas. Larger bandwidths associated with larger antennas and scanning angles requires True-Time-Delay (TTD) beamforming, resulting in bulky and complex solutions. The use of photonic integrated circuits (PIC) technology in the beamforming is a clear key enabling technology due to TTD can be implemented by using integrated photonics achieving order-of-magnitude improvements in size and mass, antenna system integration and reduction of the risks associated to the in-orbit antenna deployment. The aim of GAIA is the development of the photonic technology required in future array antenna systems for SAR applications, covering from the optical signal distribution to the antenna, the true-time-delay control of the signal for each antenna element by using integrated photonics (PICs) both in transmission and reception, the design of the optical harness suitable for large, deployable antennas and the development of an antenna array module in X band. GAIA goals establish a significant progress beyond the State-of-the-Art in antenna technology for SAR applications, improving the figures of size-mass-cost and achieving the call objective of compact RADAR / SAR technology for future Earth observation missions and strengthening the European leading in GMES. The consortium has been specifically designed for maximizing the project success since all the actors of the value chain, from photonic technology design and fabrication, institutions with capabilities in technology development and packaging, a subsystem integrator, a system integrator to a final user, most of them with demonstrated experience in space.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Antennas in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems are logistical nightmares as they as large structures that need to fit into a space launch vehicle. An EU-funded project is developing a compact alternative with modular array antenna systems.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

SAR is a form of radar imaging that uses the motion between an antenna and the Earth's surface to provide finer spatial resolution. Distinctive signal variations are obtained when pulses of radio waves are sent from the antenna that is mounted on a satellite or aircraft. This is a particularly useful form of imaging in cloudy conditions when optical imaging is ineffective.

The potential of photonics integrated circuits (PICs) for enabling improvements in size and mass will be investigated by the 'Photonics front-end for next generation SAR applications' (http://www.gaiafp7space.eu/ (GAIA)) project. This consortium will maximise the project impact as all the partners have prior experience in space applications.During the first reporting period, the photonic front-end for some 500 antenna elements were designed after carefully evaluating space mission requirements. These include basic components of the SAR antenna system such as electro-optical converters, the central signal distribution unit and photo-receivers.

At the same time, necessary improvements were made in the PIC manufacturing process as well as in the monolithic packaging of the final antenna system. This is expected to achieve time delays between signals received at two different positions in the range of hundreds of picoseconds.

GAIA project activities will exceed the current state of the art in antenna technology for SAR applications, reducing mass and size and therefore, lowering costs. The new SAR antenna technology for future Earth observation missions will help Europe keep its leading position with the Copernicus programme.