Glenn Research Facility to Evaluate Teraphysics Traveling Wave Tube Amplifier

Teraphysics has entered into a Space Act agreement with NASA’s Glenn Research Facility to certify that the company’s microfabricated E-band helical traveling wave tube amplifier is suitable for space-to-Earth radio frequency telecommunication links.

Work under the agreement includes evaluating the miniaturized product as a communication amplifier for satellite and terrestrial communications and demonstrating its performance in a standalone 1-mile radio link. TWT amplifier tests are expected to begin in the third quarter of 2023 and be completed in the second quarter of 2025, Teraphysics said.

Securing certification from NASA Glenn Research Facility would enable incorporating the amplifier in future low-Earth orbit constellations and 5G, 6G and future wireless terrestrial systems for radio frequency communications.

Gerald Mearini, co-founder and CEO of Teraphysics, said testing the technology in partnership with NASA is the culmination of over two decades of research and development with investments from the private sector and various U.S. government-funded projects.