Using cutting-edge GaN technology, the new SSPA/BUC family offers outstanding performance in outdoor or indoor operations for civil applications
| TYPE | TECHNOLOGY | Psat | FREQUENCY | DATASHEET |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ka band Outdoor | ||||
| SSPA/BUC | GaN | 40 W | 29–31 GHz | Download |
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Technology | GaN (Gallium Nitride) |
| Output Power (Psat) | 40 W |
| Frequency | 29–31 GHz |
| Configuration | Outdoor |
| Product Type | SSPA/BUC (integrated frequency conversion and amplification) |
| Target Networks | WGS Ka band, commercial military Ka band (Global Xpress Mil-Ka, etc.) |
| M&C Interface | Standard SATCOM terminal interfaces |
| Operating Environment | Outdoor — weatherproof, wide temperature range |
Contact Celestia TTI for complete datasheet, interface specifications and programme-specific configurations.
The expansion of military broadband connectivity to the tactical edge has driven the adoption of Ka band across the government and defence satellite communications landscape. WGS — the backbone of US military and allied satellite communications — provides high-capacity service in both X and Ka frequency bands, with the unprecedented ability to cross-band between the two frequencies onboard the satellite. Ka band’s higher frequency enables significantly smaller antenna apertures for the same gain compared to X band, making it the preferred choice for the mobile and deployable terminals — SATCOM on the Move, flyaway, vehicle-mount — that bring broadband connectivity to forward-deployed forces and tactical commanders.
Higher Ka band operating frequencies translate directly to smaller antennas for the same gain, enabling smaller satellite terminal equipment and pushing SOTM/COTM (satellite/communications on the move) capabilities to the level of individual soldiers.
Celestia TTI’s Ka Band SSPA/BUC at 29–31 GHz delivers 40W output power in a compact outdoor configuration, purpose-built for the government and defence terminal market. Operating across the military Ka band uplink allocation, this GaN-based product addresses the uplink amplifier requirements of WGS Ka band terminals, commercial military Ka band services, and allied government SATCOM networks — in a form factor optimised for outdoor antenna-mount installation in mobile, transportable, and deployed terminal configurations.
The 29–31 GHz range is the military Ka band uplink allocation used by WGS and compatible commercial military Ka band networks globally. Military Ka band beams operating in this frequency range allow NATO and Five Eyes military users to access reliable and highly available wideband capacity, compatible with national systems such as WGS. Celestia TTI's SSPA/BUC covers this complete allocation, ensuring compatibility across the principal military Ka band satellite networks.
The outdoor form factor mounts directly at the antenna — eliminating the long waveguide or coaxial run from an indoor amplifier to the dish that would add loss and reduce EIRP at Ka band frequencies. This configuration is standard for the mobile and deployable terminals — vehicle-mount SOTM systems, flyaway terminals, and man-portable SATCOM — that form the Ka band tactical connectivity layer.
GaN technology has enabled a new generation of SOTM terminals designed to work in extremely harsh environments, defined by MIL-STD-810, offering wide operating temperature range, high shock and vibration tolerance, and very high linearity and efficiency — units currently operating in the WGS environment. GaN's superior power density and efficiency compared to legacy GaAs alternatives reduces the DC power consumption and heat dissipation of the terminal's amplifier sub-system — critical constraints for vehicle-mounted and battery-powered deployable terminals.
Ka band's shorter wavelength enables higher antenna gain from smaller dish apertures compared to X or Ku band. A 45–60 cm Ka band antenna provides sufficient gain to support high-throughput data links through WGS Ka band transponders, enabling the ISR data links, real-time video, and C2 connectivity that modern military operations demand — without the larger antenna size that X band would require for equivalent performance.
The combined SSPA/BUC format integrates frequency upconversion from IF to Ka band and power amplification in a single outdoor unit. This eliminates a separate upconverter from the terminal architecture, reducing system complexity, the number of interface connections, and the potential failure points in a terminal that may be deployed and operated under austere field conditions.
Celestia TTI’s government and defence SATCOM product portfolio spans X band (7.9–8.4 GHz) and Ka band (29–31 GHz), providing a European-manufactured, ISO 9100:2018 certified amplifier family for the principal military uplink frequency bands used by US, NATO, and allied forces globally.
Manufactured in Spain under ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 9100:2018 certification, Celestia TTI’s Ka band SSPA/BUC supports the supply chain and quality management requirements of European national defence programmes and allied procurement frameworks.
The ability to source both X band (7.9–8.4 GHz, 300W indoor) and Ka band (29–31 GHz, 40W outdoor) ground terminal amplifiers from a single European supplier simplifies procurement qualification and ensures consistent quality management documentation across a multi-band terminal programme.
GaN-based SSPAs for military SOTM operate in the WGS environment, meeting MIL-STD-810 requirements for temperature range, shock, and vibration — the same technology platform that Celestia TTI applies to its Ka band product, engineered for the demanding operational environments of military satellite terminals.
The ISO 9100:2018 certification covers the provision and management of technical assistance services in the aerospace and defence sector — directly relevant to the procurement and quality requirements of military programme offices.
WGS provides essential communications services enabling Combatant Commanders to exert command and control of tactical forces — with terminal segment users including ground mobile terminals, Navy ships, submarines, and national command authorities. Ka band terminals accessing WGS require 29–31 GHz uplink capability with the EIRP and spectral compliance necessary to meet WGS terminal standards. Celestia TTI's 40W Ka band SSPA/BUC provides the uplink power for compact WGS-compatible terminals across land, maritime, and airborne platforms.
Vehicle-mounted SOTM systems provide continuous satellite connectivity as tactical vehicles move across the battlefield. Ka band SOTM systems benefit from the smaller antenna apertures that Ka band enables — a 45 cm dish at Ka band delivers comparable gain to a much larger X band aperture — reducing the size and aerodynamic signature of vehicle-mounted antenna systems. Celestia TTI's compact outdoor Ka band SSPA/BUC integrates into the antenna sub-system of SOTM terminals operating on armoured vehicles, trucks, and support platforms.
Terminals Flyaway Ka band terminals provide portable broadband satellite access for forward deployed forces, emergency response teams, and special operations. The outdoor SSPA/BUC configuration reduces the terminal's component count and simplifies field deployment, where setup time and cable complexity must be minimised. At 40W, the product delivers sufficient uplink power for high-data-rate connectivity from compact Ka band antennas suited to person-portable or vehicle-deployable configurations.
Beyond WGS, government and military users access commercial Ka band capacity through services such as Inmarsat's Global Xpress Mil-Ka network. Global Xpress high-capacity steerable beams operating in the military Ka band allow NATO and Five Eyes military users to access reliable wideband capacity as part of their own independent network, compatible with national military systems and terminals. Celestia TTI's 29–31 GHz SSPA/BUC provides the uplink amplification for terminals accessing these commercial military Ka band services.
Naval vessels requiring high-throughput Ka band connectivity for command, control, and ISR applications deploy Ka band terminals on ship superstructures. The outdoor weatherproof construction of Celestia TTI's SSPA/BUC meets the environmental requirements for naval installations, where salt air, temperature extremes, and mechanical vibration are routine operating conditions.
Ka band provides significantly higher data throughput than X band for a given antenna aperture because the shorter wavelength enables more antenna gain and the wider available spectrum supports higher bandwidth services. This makes Ka band the preferred choice for high-data-rate applications — ISR data links, real-time full-motion video, networked C2 — while X band retains advantages for highly mobile terminals where smaller apertures can still achieve adequate link margins, and for environments where rain fade resilience is the primary concern. WGS satellites carry both X and Ka band payloads, with the ability to cross-band between the two, providing operators with frequency flexibility.
Commercial Ka band SSPAs (such as Celestia TTI’s products for Ku and C band teleport applications) operate at commercial satellite uplink frequencies — typically 27.5–30 GHz for consumer and enterprise Ka band services. This government and defence Ka band SSPA specifically covers 29–31 GHz — the military Ka band uplink allocation used by WGS and compatible military satellite networks, which requires different frequency coverage, and is intended for equipment certified or compatible with government satellite terminal standards rather than commercial VSAT modem interfaces.
This product delivers 40W (Psat) — appropriate for compact outdoor terminals with antenna apertures of approximately 45–75 cm operating in the WGS Ka band environment. For higher power requirements suited to larger aperture transportable or fixed terminals, contact Celestia TTI to discuss custom configurations.
The SSPA/BUC covers the 29–31 GHz frequency range used by WGS Ka band uplinks. Specific WGS terminal certification requirements — including spectral mask compliance, out-of-band emissions, and interface standards — depend on the complete terminal system design. Contact Celestia TTI for programme-specific discussions on WGS terminal integration.
These are entirely different products for different applications. The spaceborne Ka band SSPA (17.3–20.2 GHz, 125W) is a satellite payload component — space-qualified, with integrated EPC, guaranteed multipaction-free operation, and flight heritage. This ground terminal Ka band SSPA/BUC (29–31 GHz, 40W) is a ground station component for government and defence satellite terminals — an outdoor-rated unit designed for terrestrial SOTM, flyaway, and vehicle-mount applications. They operate at different frequencies, serve different markets, and carry entirely different design and qualification philosophies.
