ThinKom gets military contract to supply portable ground stations for satellite communications

WASHINGTON — Satellite antenna manufacturer ThinKom Solutions said its U.S. military contract to demonstrate phased-array portable ground stations has been extended, as the Pentagon continues to evaluate deployable satellite communications systems that can replace traditional parabolic dishes.

A previous $1.9 million Small Business Innovation Research contract has been increased to $3.9 million to provide portable ground stations capable of delivering satellite connectivity without fixed infrastructure, the company said.

“While the original phase established the technological foundation, the follow-on options allow us to execute the delivery of additional shipsets and add specialized capabilities through software,” said Bill Milroy, chief technology officer and co-founder of ThinKom, which is based in Hawthorne, California.

The contract will examine the performance of ThinKom’s “portable gateway” for use by dismounted forces so they can access both commercial and military satellite communications networks. Dismounted forces are personnel operating on foot rather than inside armored vehicles or aircraft, where larger communications systems are typically installed. These units often operate in remote or austere environments where terrestrial networks are limited or unavailable.

ThinKom’s antenna technology is a steerable, mechanically actuated phased array designed to track satellites in geostationary and non-geostationary orbits.

A portable gateway functions as a transportable satellite communications hub. It connects radios, tablets, sensors and other tactical networks to a satellite link, enabling beyond-line-of-sight communications. The objective is to provide distributed units with broadband connectivity similar to that available on mounted or airborne platforms, while reducing reliance on fixed infrastructure that could be disrupted in contested areas.

Milroy said the company is not allowed to disclose which specific branch of the military will use the technology or what frequency bands are involved. “Our technology is designed to operate in any orbital regime,” he said. “Regarding the specific frequency bands being utilized, we cannot provide those details due to the sensitivities of the contract.”

ThinKom said it will supply several receive, transmit and digital beamformer modules that can be used independently or combined into a unified system. Receive modules capture incoming satellite signals, while transmit modules send data back to the satellite. A digital beamformer electronically combines and steers signals from multiple antenna elements, allowing the system to track satellites without relying on large, mechanically steered dish antennas.

The company said the portable ground stations are airline-checkable and designed for rapid field deployment.

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