Wireless Reference Frequency Distribution for Membrane-Deployed Distributed Microwave Interferometer Concept

• Main Authors: Sugihara, A.K., Wada, T., Suda, T., Fujita, M., Kawasaki, S., Mori, O.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Apertures; Distributed aperture synthesis; formation flight interferometry; Microwave theory and techniques; Radio interferometry; Satellite broadcasting; synchronisation; Topology; Wireless communication; Wireless sensor networks
• ISSN: 2153-7003
• DOI: 10.1109/IGARSS52108.2023.10282466

Synthetic aperture interferometry is entering a new paradigm with the miniaturisation of receiving elements and associated components. Recent radiometers are small enough to be placed on a fleet of cubesats. With the recent advancements of cubesat precision formation flying techniques, low-cost formation flight interferometry is already within reach. Further miniaturisation may enable these elements to be pasted on large deployable membrane structures. The assembly, deployment and controlling of these large membranes are well demonstrated in the field of interplanetary solar sailing, with a 40-m-class sail already well-studied. Adopting this technique to synthetic aperture interferometry will enable extremely large single-satellite interferometers, while avoiding the complexity and risk associated with precision formation flight. The new challenges introduced by this approach are two-fold. First, a common frequency reference must be distributed to the receiving elements, ideally wirelessly. Second, the position and phase of these receiving elements must be calibrated. This paper addresses these two challenges with preliminary experimental results.