NASA’s Microwave Power Combiner Webinar

Researchers at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland Ohio have developed a novel new technology that enables monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) amplifiers to be combined more efficiently for use in near-Earth and deep-space communications.

Traditionally, to achieve power levels necessary for communications in space, several MMIC amplifiers must be combined. One problem with this process is that conventional power combiners require MMICs with identical amplitude and phase characteristics, but even minor variations in manufacture cause MMIC power outputs to be unequal. To solve this problem, scientists at NASA's Glenn Research Center have developed a novel waveguide hybrid power combiner for solid-state power amplifiers based on MMICs. Glenn initially demonstrated the proof-of-concept at Ka-band frequencies, from 31.8 to 32.3 GHz, which is NASA's deep-space frequency band. However, the design can be scaled to other frequencies of interest.

NASA’s Microwave Power Combiner is flexible, economical, scalable, and versatile. For more information on the technology, please click here.

During the webinar, you will learn about this new technology as well as how NASA’s technologies and capabilities are available to industry and other organizations through NASA’s Technology Transfer Program.