Aeroacoustic testing capability in both anechoic and hard-walled facilities has grown tremendously over the last decade. Such testing has provided successful collection of noise source location and directivity data in facilities such as Quiet Flow Facilities, and other subsonic, low, and high speed tunnels. One of the reasons for the success of these measurements has been the development of both phased microphone array instrumentation and robust data processing algorithms/software used in the analysis of acquired array data. While the gains using microphone arrays has been significant, several challenges must be overcome before fully realizing the potential of this technology. Most important among these challenges is the need to extend classical beam-forming techniques, incoherent monopole source theory, to more robust algorithms based on higher-order (i.e., multipole) models of the source to be measured. However, implementation of new multipole-based algorithms will require a change in thinking about how microphone arrays are constructed and operated.

The Electron Technologies, Inc. (ETI) model 999H is a high-power high-efficiency space traveling-wave tube (TWT) that will provide high-rate, high-capacity, direct-to-Earth communications for science data and video from the 2009 Mars Telesat Orbiter spacecraft and will also provide communication relay support for surface-based probes on Mars. The ETI model 999H Traveling-Wave Tube has demonstrated 144 watts of continuous wave power over the 31.8–32.3 GHz frequency band with 60% average overall efficiency. The extreme power limits were not tested, but we expect that 50 to 150 watts of continuous wave power could be readily obtained over the frequency band. This contrasts with 35 watts and 50% overall efficiency of the prior highest power deployed space TWT at this frequency developed for the Mars Reconnaissance orbiter. Additionally, the TWT has been designed for flexible output power depending on mission requirements, and has demonstrated high efficiency over the power range of 54 to 144 watts. This improvement in state-of-the-art output power at Ka-band frequencies enables science data and video to be sent from Mars to Earth at more than four times the rate previously possible.

This Disclosure of Invention relates to ultra-wideband OTC antennas for WLAN or ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) applications. These antennas are capable of 10:1 bandwidth with 2:1 VSWR, essentially covering the entire ISM band ( 1–11 GHz.). Key features of these antennas are listed below: 1. The antenna has a split- ring structure which could be of conductive strip or slot etched on a planar antenna. The ring could be square, circular, or any geometrical shape. 2. The antenna comprises of a antenna/feed layer, a supporting substrate layer, and a ground layer which could be omitted for a slotted-ring antenna configuration. 3. The antenna is fabricated on OTC film using conventional printed-circuit fabrication technique, and can be easily integrated with solid state amplifiers to enhance its radiated power. 4. The antenna has exhibited excellent impedance match, ultra bandwidth, and miniature size.making it very suitable for handheld or portable applications. A prototype ultra-wideband OTC antenna with linear polarization has been successfully demonstrated. However, the design can be easily extended to circular polarization.