Axelspace Corporation (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Yuya Nakamura) and co-researchers have successfully developed a novel Ka-band radio for microsatellites. This new radio system, when compared to a conventional radio, operates with less than half the power consumption and has a high radiation tolerance. This collaborative research was developed with Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech), with Associate Professor Atsushi Shirane of Laboratory for Future Interdisciplinary Research of Science and Technology and Professor Kenichi Okada and Assistant Professor Takashi Tomura of Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. The research results are scheduled to be presented on 21st of February 2023, at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC), the largest international conference in the semiconductor industry.
The results of each research are described below.
1. Successful collaborative development of radiation-resistant Ka-band radio for LEO communication satellite constellation – Significant improvements in microsatellite communication speeds for Beyond 5G –
Date and time of the presentation of this research: February 21, 2023, 4:15 p.m. (local time)
Presentation Sessions: Session19: 5G and Satcom: Receivers and Transmitters
Title: A 2.95mW/element Ka-band CMOS Phased-Array Receiver Utilizing On-Chip Distributed Radiation Sensors in Low-Earth-Orbit Small Satellite Constellation
*The research results were supported by the JST Research Results Deployment Program A-STEP Industry-University Collaboration JPMJTR211D.
2. Collaborative research on the low power consumption of Ka-band transmitters on Earth observation satellites – For high-speed, real-time data communication-
Date and time of the presentation of this research: February 21, 2023, 4:45 p.m. (local time)
Presentation Sessions: Session19: 5G and Satcom: Receivers and Transmitters
Title: Small-Satellite-Mounted 256-Element Ka-Band CMOS Phased-Array Transmitter Achieving 63.8dBm EIRP Under 26.6W Power Consumption Using Single/Dual Circular Polarization Active Coupler.
*These research results were obtained from commissioned research (No. 00601) by National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT),Japan
Axelspace is a space company established in 2008 with the vision of “Space within your reach”. To date, the company has designed, developed, manufactured, launched, and operated nine microsatellites successfully. Its main businesses are “AxelGlobe” and “AxelLiner”. “AxelGlobe” is an Earth observation platform utilizing microsatellite constellations. “AxelLiner” is a one-stop service for microsatellites.
The company will continue to collaborate with Tokyo Tech in the future by taking advantage of the research results at Tokyo Tech and its business achievements. The result of this research is a phased-array radio and a broadband Ka-band transmitter/receiver. Within a few years the company plans to launch a demonstration satellite. These satellites with have the highly radiation tolerant and power-saving Ka-band communication subsystem. Employing this system, the company will build a satellite constellation of next-generation satellites. All the satellites will be equipped with the highly functional communication subsystem to contribute to real-time remote sensing data and NTN (Non-Terrestrial Network) infrastructure in the B5G/6G era. Through the utilizing of microsatellite technology, Axelspace will create a future in which space is more accessible and usable.
