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Ground Stations

Introducing Digital Arrays

Ground Stations utilize ThinKom's Digital Arrays, which is a modular system enabled by digitally combining independently controlled antennas into a compact, highly efficient array.

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Beamformer

The beam forming module is the brain of the digital array. It works by coherently combining all the independently controlled antenna modules within a mesh network.

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Controller

The Digital Array is integrated with a customer-defined scheduler and modem to support seamless and automatic satellite switches and multi-beam pointing and tracking.

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Antenna Module

The antenna modules use ThinKom's Ultra true time delay (TTD) phased array technology, which enables agile beam steering, switchable polarization, and extremely wide channel/instantaneous bandwidth by eliminating frequency-dependent beam-walk.

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Mounting Frame

The frame varies from application to application, enabling the digital array to scale up or down according to situational needs.

Beamformer

The beam forming module is the brain of the digital array. It works by coherently combining all the independently controlled antenna modules within a mesh network.

Controller

The Digital Array is integrated with a customer-defined scheduler and modem to support seamless and automatic satellite switches and multi-beam pointing and tracking.

Antenna Module

The antenna modules use ThinKom's Ultra true time delay (TTD) phased array technology, which enables agile beam steering, switchable polarization, and extremely wide channel/instantaneous bandwidth by eliminating frequency-dependent beam-walk.

Mounting Frame

The frame varies from application to application, enabling the digital array to scale up or down according to situational needs.

Modular Design for Unlimited Scalability​

More Performance with Less Real Estate

Because of blockage issues and interference, legacy parabolic dishes require significantly more real estate…

... for the equivalent operation of a single ThinWave® array

Patented. Proven. Powerful.

Core Technology

Digital Arrays are built upon ThinKom’s proven core technology

VICTS

VICTS phased array technology employs layers of lightweight platters that rotate  a center axis to steer the beam and control polarization. ​​Each of these layers is completely passive, significantly reducing the power draw and increasing the antenna efficiency.​​

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Ultra Wideband

ThinKom's Ultra-Wideband technology is capable of supporting instantaneous bandwidths greater than 3.5 GHz, as well as selective Ku- and Ka-band operation out of a single aperture.

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Digital Beamformer

The Digital Beamformer is the brain of the Digital Array, intelligently stitching together independently controlled Antenna Modules.

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Applications

Increase Capabilities

Simultaneous Multi-Beam, Multi-Band, Multi-Orbit, Multi-Network

The number of beams can easily scale to meet rapidly evolving requirements. Anything from a single antenna module to the array’s entire combined signal can be utilized.

Software-Defined beamforming and tracking

The number of beams can easily scale to meet rapidly evolving requirements. Anything from a single antenna module to the array’s entire combined signal can be utilized.

Infinitely Scalable & Reconfigurable

The number of beams can easily scale to meet rapidly evolving requirements. Anything from a single antenna module to the array’s entire combined signal can be utilized.

Low visual signature & low wind-loading

The number of beams can easily scale to meet rapidly evolving requirements. Anything from a single antenna module to the array’s entire combined signal can be utilized.

Transportable and installable virtually anywhere

The number of beams can easily scale to meet rapidly evolving requirements. Anything from a single antenna module to the array’s entire combined signal can be utilized.

Real-time performance computation and adaptability

The number of beams can easily scale to meet rapidly evolving requirements. Anything from a single antenna module to the array’s entire combined signal can be utilized.

Reduce Total Cost of Ownership

Efficient real estate and spectrum utilization

The number of beams can easily scale to meet rapidly evolving requirements. Anything from a single antenna module to the array’s entire combined signal can be utilized.

Rapid deployment: no precision alignment, cranes, or lifts required

The number of beams can easily scale to meet rapidly evolving requirements. Anything from a single antenna module to the array’s entire combined signal can be utilized.

Network agnostic, including high IBW and hopped/spread waveforms

The number of beams can easily scale to meet rapidly evolving requirements. Anything from a single antenna module to the array’s entire combined signal can be utilized.

Ultra-Low power consumption and operable in any environment

The number of beams can easily scale to meet rapidly evolving requirements. Anything from a single antenna module to the array’s entire combined signal can be utilized.

Ultra-High reliability. High MTBF with zero routine maintenance

The number of beams can easily scale to meet rapidly evolving requirements. Anything from a single antenna module to the array’s entire combined signal can be utilized.

Mean Time Between Failure

Ultra-High availability. High MTTR, hot swapping, graceful degradation

The number of beams can easily scale to meet rapidly evolving requirements. Anything from a single antenna module to the array’s entire combined signal can be utilized.

Mean Time to Repair

Technology Overview

Each array is configured with at least one digital beamformer. As the brains of the entire system, it digitally combines the signals from multiple antenna modules to form any number of beams.

ThinKom beamformer antenns
Features
Options
Notes and Determining Design Factors
Frequencies
S- thru E-band
TT&C, communications, Earth observation, any combination
No. of Modules
Unlimited
G/T, EIRP, number of beams/satellite tracks, redundancy
No. of Beamformers
Unlimited
Typically, 1 beamformer per 8 to 16 modules
Ratio of Tx to Rx Modules
Unlimited
Downlink/uplink data rates
Configuration / Layout
Unlimited
Optimized for pointing angles, satellite orbits, number of passes, contact time, wind loading and more
Fixed Installations
Mobile Installations

Fixed-Site Installations

Build a resilient and proliferated ground architecture for satellite-based communications with ThinKom's highly-reliable Digital Arrays.
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Mobile Installations

ThinKom's Digital Arrays offer rapid beam agility, coherent combining, and make-before-break satellite handovers for Comms-On-The-Move and portable, rapid-deployment applications.
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Configuration Options

Available in S- through E-band frequencies, ThinKom ground stations are configured to customer-specific network, SWaP and performance requirements. To learn more, please contact us to discuss your requirements.

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