FIGARO: 5G Array for Lunar Relay Operations

FLIGHT SUMMARY
During this high-altitude balloon flight test supported by NASA’s Flight Opportunities program, FIGARO demonstrated full duplex Ka-Band communications at 98,000 feet between both stationary and dynamically moving ground stations, simulating lunar relay operations.

The FIGARO phased-array technology aims to enable low-cost, high-performance communications for lunar exploration. By using commercial 5G silicon radiofrequency integrated circuit beamformer technology, FIGARO achieves high-bandwidth communications while eliminating the need for physical pointing mechanisms, such as gimbals (which add size, weight, and power burdens) and spacecraft pointing (which detract from the mission). This approach has the potential to provide a lunar relay communications architecture that could reduce gaps in lunar surface communications coverage. It could also support simultaneous transmissions between multiple lunar surface assets at a higher data rate and reduce the burden placed on lunar surface communications systems.
 
The technology exploits the high-volume production and commercial timescales of 5G commercial off-the-shelf components to enable high-gain, high data rate, multi-point communications for small satellites. Its Ka-band flat-panel phased-array antenna supports electronic beam steering and beam shaping for full-duplex communications across simultaneous users.