The antenna employs a polymer-based aerogel - a highly porous, lightweight material composed of 95% air - which can be tuned to resemble the flexibility of plastic wrap or the rigidity of plexiglass. "By removing the liquid portion of a gel, you're left with this incredibly porous structure," explained Stephanie Vivod, chemical engineer at NASA Glenn. "If you've ever made Jell-O, you've performed chemistry that's similar to the first step of making an aerogel."
This material forms the core of an active phased array aerogel antenna, constructed by sandwiching it between a circuit board and a series of copper cells, topped with a high-performance insulating film. Unlike traditional external antennas, this design conforms to the aircraft's shape, reducing drag and enhancing visual stealth while maintaining strong communications capability.
NASA tested a rigid prototype aboard a Britten-Norman Defender aircraft in collaboration with the U.S. Navy at Naval Air Station Patuxent River during summer 2024. Later in October, NASA Glenn researchers and Eutelsat America Corp. evaluated the technology on a ground platform, successfully connecting with both geostationary and low Earth orbit satellites, including those operated by Kepler.
"This is significant because we are able to use the same antenna to connect with two very different satellite systems," noted Glenn researcher Bryan Schoenholz. Geostationary satellites remain fixed above the equator over 22,000 miles up, while low Earth orbit satellites, at around 1,200 miles, rapidly circle the planet.
This dual capability is vital for next-generation aviation, ensuring uninterrupted satellite communication as aircraft navigate increasingly busy skies. The antenna's electronically steerable beam maintains signal lock with minimal disruption, helping prevent communication failures during flight.
As the U.S. prepares for a surge in autonomous aircraft and urban air mobility services, seamless connectivity becomes a safety-critical requirement. NASA's work under the Advanced Air Mobility mission and Transformative Aeronautics Concepts program supports development of technologies like the aerogel antenna, which can ensure stable, precise communications in real time.
"If an autonomous air taxi or drone flight loses its communications link, we have a very unsafe situation," said Schoenholz. "We can't afford a 'dropped call' up there because that connection is critical to the safety of the flight."
Schoenholz, Vivod, and their colleagues are developing these systems under NASA's Antenna Deployment and Optimization Technologies activity, a key effort within the Transformational Tools and Technologies project. Their work aims to reduce radio frequency interference and maintain safe, high-performance communications across the expanding spectrum of aircraft in the national airspace.
Related Links
Transformational Tools and Technologies project
Space Technology News - Applications and Research
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