ESA teams up with Leonardo against satnav jamming

The European Space Agency (ESA) and Leonardo are embarking on a joint project to explore smart antennas powered by machine learning to block unwanted signals.

Representatives of ESA and Leonardo signed a contract at the Paris Air Show to research and develop machine learning techniques to steer antenna arrays to block out unwanted signals. The project will be developed under the umbrella of ESA’s Navigation Innovation Support Programme (NAVISP).

Smarter antenna designs for resilience

Conventional antennas catch signals from all directions. A controlled reception pattern antenna (CRPA) can focus on signals coming from specific satellites and ignore signals or interference coming from other directions. These types of antennas are used in satellite navigation receivers to block jamming and counterfeit signals. They rely on electronics that control how they adjust their patterns (beamforming).

Under contract with NAVISP, Leonardo — together with ELT Group as subcontractor — will explore the reduction of the distance between the antenna elements to reduce the size and weight of the antenna array, and the use of machine learning to determine the best antenna setup and adjust the settings faster. This approach will lead to smaller, smarter and more effective antennas, especially useful in space-limited environments such as aircraft.

The project covers identification of the smarter algorithm for signal blocking, building and testing a real-time receiver demonstrator based on the selected algorithm, and comparing it to conventional larger antennas. The aim is to reach a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 4, delivering a lab-tested technology by the end of the project, in two years.

esa.int