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The supra-THz (>3 THz) bands have been recently proposed for low Earth orbit THz remote sounding missions such as LOCUS (Low-Cost Upper-atmosphere Sounder). In order to achieve coherent detection, heterodyne receivers at supra-THz frequencies are under development by integrating in a single waveguide cavity a Schottky based mixers fed by a Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) as Local Oscillator (LO). Thanks to the QCL, enough LO power is available to drive the mixer.

With the 'democratisation of space', and the proliferation of large non-geostationary orbit constellations, the pace at which human-made objects are being deployed into orbit demands urgent action in defining and supporting a global space traffic management plan.

This activity investigates how mega-constellations can be used to provide low-Earth orbit (LEO) spacecraft with broadband low-latency services, a novel Concept with potential to disrupt spacecraft design, operation, and performance by allowing spacecraft to access mega-constellations’ enormous resources (Tbit/s throughputs) and global coverage at a lower cost than traditional data relay systems and ground station networks (two to fifty times cheaper, that is, a few hundred to a few thousand dollars per month for a daily net capacity from hundredths of Gbit up to almost ten Tbit).

Over the last decades, the spaceborne remote sensing community has been focused on the development of imaging radars at RF frequencies such as S-band, L-band, C-band and X-band.

ITU regulations currently permit the use of Ka-band for active spaceborne microwave remote sensing but only few missions are considering applying this frequency band such as the SARAL mission with the ALtiKa instrument (launched 2013).