Vireo Ka-band phased-array payload
A multi-beam Ka-band phased-array payload that other satellite builders can fly to give their spacecraft high-capacity links that steer electronically.
Why it matters
Phased arrays let one satellite serve many users at once and switch between them in microseconds, which matters for both military networks and commercial broadband from low orbit.
How the technology works
Vireo is an active electronically steered antenna: many small antenna elements are driven with precisely timed signals so beams point without moving parts. CesiumAstro lists two versions, Vireo Ka 288 and Vireo Ka 576, alongside a single-beam Ka-band payload called Nightingale.
Sources
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