MIT News  September 6, 2022
Researchers at MIT Lincoln Laboratory have installed a Multi-Band Test Terminal (MBTT) which can rotate 15 degrees per second, completing a single revolution in 24 seconds. At this speed, the MBTT can detect and track satellites in medium and low Earth orbit. The MBTT is designed to be easily reconfigured to support multiple radio frequency (RF) bands used for military and commercial satellite SATCOM systems. Since its installation, it has supported a wide range of tests and experiments involving protected tactical waveform (PTW). It is also supporting international outreach efforts led by Space Systems Command to extend the U.S. Space Force’s Protected Anti-Jam Tactical SATCOM (PATS) capability to international partners. Connected via fiber-optic links to research facilities across Lincoln Laboratory. The MBTT has also supported non-PTW testing. Staff have tested new signal processing technology to suppress or remove interference from jammers, new techniques for signal detection and geolocation, and new ways of connecting PTW users to other Department of Defense systems. In the years ahead, the laboratory looks forward to performing more testing with more user communities in the Department of Defense…read more. Video
The radome protecting the Multi-Band Test Terminal…Credit: Glen Cooper