Solid state power amplifiers engineered for satellite communications, earth station, and defense command and control applications. Teledyne Microwave Solutions Paradise offers GaN and GaAs SSPA systems in indoor rack-mount and outdoor configurations with N+1 redundancy and fault-tolerant PowerMAX architectures. Request a datasheet.
Solid State Power Amplifiers for Satellite and Defense
Satellite earth station and defense command and control programs demand amplifier systems engineered for continuous availability and high RF output power.
Solid State Power Amplifiers for Satellite and DefenseTeledyne Microwave Solutions Paradise manufactures GaN and GaAs solid state power amplifiers for satellite communications earth stations and defense command and control systems, available in indoor rack-mount and outdoor IP54-rated configurations across L through Ku band.
Teledyne Microwave Solutions Paradise offers solid state power amplifier solutions for satellite earth station and defense markets. Key capabilities include: GaN and GaAs SSPA systems from 100 W to multi-kilowatt, N+1 fault-tolerant PowerMAX modular architecture, and IP54-rated outdoor enclosures for antenna-adjacent deployment.
- Frequency Bands
- L, S, C, X, Ku
- Output Power Range
- 100 W to multi-kilowatt
- Outdoor Rating
- IP54, -40 to +60 deg C
- Redundancy
- 1:1, 1:2, and N+1 PowerMAX modular
- Remote Control
- RS-485/RS-232, Ethernet (SNMP, UDP, web browser)
These solid state power amplifiers are used in commercial satellite earth station uplinks, government and military satellite communications, defense command and control networks, and teleport broadcast uplink facilities where mission-critical availability is required.
Solid State Power Amplifiers for Satellite Communications and Defense -- Overview
Solid state power amplifiers from Teledyne Microwave Solutions Paradise serve commercial satellite uplink, earth station HPA, and defense command and control requirements across L, S, C, X, and Ku bands. GaN SSPA and GaAs SSPA system portfolios cover output power levels from 100 W single-chassis units through multi-kilowatt modular configurations, with indoor rack-mount and outdoor IP54-rated form factors available.
SSPA Technology: GaN and GaAs Amplifier Systems
- GaN SSPA modules achieve higher power density and efficiency than GaAs designs, reducing system footprint and cooling requirements at equivalent output power levels.
- GaAs SSPA systems are available for legacy system compatibility and applications where mature, characterised device behaviour is specified.
- Both technologies support linearized operation with intermodulation distortion of -25 dBc at rated linear output power (Psat minus 3 dB) for indoor rack-mount units.
- Compact Outdoor GaN SSPAs provide up to 500 W (L, S bands) and 400 W (C, X bands). High Power Outdoor GaN SSPAs extend to 800 W in C, X, and S bands and 600 W in Ku band.
PowerMAX Modular HPA Architecture
- PowerMAX is patented (US Patent Nos. 8,189,338 B2 and 8,411,477 B2) and uses complete SSPA chassis as the N+1 module element in a phase-combined system.
- Parallel redundancy extends beyond RF modules to power supplies, cooling fans, and embedded controllers, creating a fully fault-tolerant architecture.
- Systems are field scalable from 4 to 16 SSPA chassis modules, allowing phased power increases without system replacement.
- True RF output power detection provides near power-meter accuracy across multiple carriers independent of modulation type.
Earth Station and Defense Market Applications
Satellite communications earth station operators and defense system integrators specify solid state power amplifiers for C-band and Ku-band commercial uplinks, X-band government satellite links, and L/S-band command and control uplinks. The portfolio addresses single-thread installations through multi-kilowatt high-reliability systems requiring N+1 redundancy and five-nines availability targets.
Related Terms and Technologies
Solid state power amplifiers (SSPAs) are also referred to as solid state HPAs, GaN amplifiers, or ground station power amplifiers in satellite and defense procurement documentation. Related technologies include high power amplifier (HPA) systems, traveling wave tube amplifiers (TWTAs), phase-combined amplifier systems, block up converters (BUCs), and N+1 redundant amplifier switching systems. Standards relevant to these products include INTELSAT earth station amplifier specifications and MIL-HDBK-217 reliability prediction methodologies.
