NexSat Space Systems announced the launch of its first product, the Aero Conformal ESA (ACE), a fully integrated, electronically‑steered Ku/Ka‑band antenna that is embedded directly into aircraft surfaces. The ACE is the industry’s first “invisible” antenna, eliminating traditional radomes and reducing aerodynamic drag while providing continuous multi‑orbit connectivity across supersonic and hypersonic flight envelopes.
The system is powered by Qorvo’s AWMF‑0221 silicon RF beamformer IC, which delivers the phased‑array capability required for high‑bandwidth, low‑drag operation. Qorvo supplies the RF integration and system architecture that enables the ACE’s multi‑band performance, marking a significant expansion of the company’s advanced RF and power solutions into the aerospace communications market.
NexSat’s CEO, David Horton, said, “With NexSat’s launch, we’re on a mission to rewrite the antenna rulebook with our Aero Conformal Electronically Scanned Array (A.C.E.), bringing a smartphone‑like simplicity to users and ubiquitous coverage anywhere in the world.” He added, “ACE’s fully integrated Ku/Ka capability, combined with our AM‑CM process, delivers performance and reliability once considered impossible,” and noted that the technology “revolutionizes connectivity for today’s business, commercial and defense aircraft, while establishing the foundation for the next generation of supersonic and hypersonic platforms.”
Qorvo’s Director of SATCOM and Systems Engineering, Ryan Jennings, commented, “The collaboration with NexSat highlights how Qorvo’s advanced beamforming IC technology can accelerate innovation across the aerospace communications market. Our proven RF integration and system architecture are key enablers for high‑performance, reliable connectivity across new flight domains.”
The ACE platform is initially targeted at business jet aircraft, with scaled versions for narrow‑body and wide‑body commercial aircraft in development. By embedding the antenna into the aircraft skin, the system eliminates external radomes, reduces drag, and enables continuous, high‑bandwidth connectivity that is critical for future supersonic and hypersonic platforms. This launch represents a major operational milestone for NexSat and positions Qorvo to capture a growing share of the high‑bandwidth, low‑drag connectivity market across business, commercial, and defense aircraft.
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