Flexgan Project

FLEXGAN project aims to design, develop and test, in a representative space environment (TRL5), a low cost high power and efficient Ka-band GaN SSPA with RF output power varying capability, with high innovative & low loss recombination schemes and able to operate in multicarrier operation mode for on-board 5G satellite applications. The operational frequency band is 17.3-20.2 GHz and the objective output power is 125 W CW. The main innovations that FLEXGAN brings are: 1) Bring known terrestrial technologies by TTI to space; 2) SSPA able to provide the required output power maximising the power added efficiency to compensate the downlink fading losses; 3) SSPA able to transmit in multicarrier mode w/o memory effect; 4) Implementation of highly innovative linearization techniques; 5) use of lightweight composite structures to decrease the weight of the overall SSPA. Furthermore, in order to have a 100% European SSPA a Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) based on D01GH technology from OMMIC will be designed, manufactured and tested. This project is supported by funding under the H2020 programme of the European Union.