Exploring New Horizons: NASA’s Wideband Technology Initiatives

As NASA prepares for the decommissioning of its near-Earth fleet of Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS) by 2030, the importance of reliable communication systems in the success of every mission cannot be overstated. The agency is actively exploring the potential of utilising commercial satellite communications networks for near-Earth operations, with the development of wideband terminal technology considered a game-changer that could pave the way for interoperability with multiple near-Earth network providers and facilitate NASA’s transition towards commercialisation.

An interesting parallel to wideband terminals is the roaming technology adopted by cellphone providers, which allows devices to seamlessly switch from one network to another without any disruption in service. In 2021, NASA’s own Glenn Research Center achieved a significant milestone by successfully testing wideband roaming capabilities, marking a major step forward in the agency’s pursuit of cutting-edge communication solutions. Looking ahead, a partnership with Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory has been forged to launch a wideband flight demonstration mission, known as PExT, scheduled for June 2024.

Over the next decade, NASA is poised to embrace commercial space-based relay services to meet its near-Earth communications requirements. The agency’s Communications Services Project has joined forces with six commercial companies to develop innovative space communications architecture that will cater to the evolving needs of future missions. The key to the effectiveness of wideband terminals lies in their utilization of software-defined radios (SDR) to facilitate waveform changes while spacecraft are in orbit, enabling seamless integration of new and evolving commercial services.

Wideband terminals are transceivers that operate across both government and commercial Ka-band spectrum allocations, offering versatile roaming capabilities that empower spacecraft to connect to various communications networks, providing access to multiple services, reducing latency, and lowering costs.

In an exciting development, NASA’s Wideband Terminal Project is collaborating with Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory to conduct extensive testing of wideband technology through a prototype Polylingual Experimental Terminal (PExT). Set to be launched in June 2024, the PExT mission aims to demonstrate contact and link management, as well as forward and return link data flow, with the existing NASA TDRS service and three commercial providers.

Looking towards the future, NASA is striving to transition to commercial infrastructure by 2030 through the Space Communications and Navigation program, shifting away from building, maintaining, and operating its own satellite systems and towards engaging commercial services for its missions. Leveraging existing partnerships and Funded Space Act Agreements, NASA is committed to investing in upcoming commercial demonstrations of these services, ultimately opening up new frontiers for space communication capabilities.