"GaAs PHEMT and InP HEMT MMIC Requirements for Satellite Based Communications Systems"

Traditionally a majority of the commercial satellite communications systems have been fixed repeaters at C-band and Ku-band. The satellite industry is presently undergoing significant changes in the types of systems that are being fielded. New low earth orbit and geo stationary mobile systems have large numbers of flexible beams at either L-band or S-band through the use of large phased array antennas. On the other end of the spectrum new families of Kaband satellite systems are utilizing either multibeam or phased array antennas for large numbers of spot beams and are moving to provide broadband capability. At the higher end of the spectrum traditionally reserved for government communications systems commercial satellite operators have filed for use of V-band frequencies. All of these new applications means that satellite manufactures are going to be using ever increasing quantities of MMIC devices at a much broader range of frequencies.