WMN: Solid-State Transmitters for SATCOM: from Architectures and Challenges to Integration and Deployment

Presentation Abstract
Power Amplifiers (PAs) are key elements in every communication link, and their performance strongly impacts a system’s data throughput, power consumption, size, and reliability. With the transition from a small number of GEO satellites to large-scale constellations in LEO and MEO, driven by commercial and defence applications, there is increasing pressure to rethink PA architectures. Efficiency, bandwidth, and linearity remain central figures of merit, but the trade-offs between them acquire new dimensions in the context of satellite communications, where cost per bit, scalability, and long-term reliability are critical. This workshop will bring together perspectives from MMIC designers and system engineers to explore how solid-state PAs are evolving to meet these demands. Presentations will cover advances in GaN technology, thermal and reliability challenges, efficiency enhancement techniques, and integration. Looking ahead, the workshop will also highlight areas where new approaches could shift the current landscape: highly integrated front-end modules, thermal management, and new characterisation methods for devices at mm-wave and sub-THz frequencies. The intended outcome is to provide participants with a snapshot of current best practices and a clear view of the open challenges that will define the next steps in SATCOM PA research.