
Address
(P)
Description
The purpose
of the Ka Band SATCOM test facility is to develop and test ground
terminal hardware for Ka band satellite communications, and to
support various applications such as protocol testing and
video-teleconferencing over the NASA Advanced Communications
Technology Satellite (ACTS).
The facility comprises a fixed ground station with a 1.8 meter
dish, connected via optical fiber to the inside of Building 3.
Current activities include the development of a small tracking
antenna capability for mobile applications, and the fabrication of
more compact terminal hardware for
man-portability.
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SATCOM Rooftop TestbedSATCOM Rooftop Testbed
A "Rooftop" testbed ground facility provides the backbone of the SATCOM research. The testbed is equipped with an array of SATCOM systems, including the Milstar ARC-208 Airborne Command Post (ABCP) satellite terminals, various UHF/SHF/EHF subsystems and a multiple element antenna farm.