Altum RF and ESA prolong Ka-band power amp collab

Eindhoven-based Altum RF has signed a new two-year contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) to design power amplifiers for satellite communication in space. These high-efficiency monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) amps will be tailored for Ka-band phased-array satcom systems. Commencing in October, the project is the continuation of a successful collaboration that started in January 2020.

With the rapid deployment of low Earth orbit (LEO), medium Earth orbit (MEO) and geostationary orbit (GEO) constellations, Ka-band phased-array systems will play a critical role in future satcom systems. To meet the increasing performance demand in these systems, Altum RF will implement an innovative design approach, which is expected to deliver significant improvements in both power and RF efficiency. The project is part of ESA’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems Core Competitiveness (Artes CC) program line, which aims to bring innovation in satellite communications and strengthen industrial competitiveness.

“Over the next two years, this contract will help direct our product development and accelerate our growth in the satcom market,” comments Altum RF CEO Greg Baker. “The collaboration with ESA during our initial contract was very successful and we look forward to building on that relationship.” Niels Kramer, managing director Europe and VP marketing at Altum RF, adds, “ESA has been an exceptional partner in helping us establish ourselves within the European and global market. This new contract enables us to further expand our design and development capabilities at our Eindhoven office, positioning us to capitalize on this growing business opportunity.”

Baker and Kramer founded Altum RF in 2019, together with VP of engineering Tony Fattorini. They incorporated in the Netherlands, established an office on the Eindhoven University of Technology campus, secured a design team in Sydney, Australia, and specialized in designing, modeling and packaging high-performance RF to millimeter-wave solutions for next-generation applications. Using proven technologies like GaAs and GaN, they target telecom, 5G/6G, satcom, radar sensors, aerospace, defense and more, from DC to 150 GHz.