Filtronic plc announced a new contract win with a leading global provider of low earth orbit ("LEO") satellite communications equipment. The contract, valued at $4.25 million (£3.4 million), with revenue expected to be recognized in Fiscal Year 2024, is for the supply of Filtronic's innovative Cerus32 solid state power amplifier ("SSPA") module combined with a customized control board. The SSPA modules will be installed in selected ground station locations for the second phase of the customer's earth station antenna deployment which is designed to provide full E-band connectivity to recently launched E-band enabled LEO satellites.

This programme is the first time that high bandwidth E-band frequencies have been successfully utilized, in volume, in a commercial global LEO space application. The Cerus Power Module incorporates Filtronic's unique MMIC chip design and proprietary power combining techniques to provide a small form factor amplifier module with scalable output powers ranging from 4W to >10W at E-band frequencies. Working closely with the customer's design team, Filtronic have been able to build on the success of the initial Cerus16 SSPA supplied earlier this year to provide a Cerus32 SSPA module that is optimized for ease of field deployment and future performance upgrade.

The Cerus family of SSPA module products are available with a variety of power levels and can support the multiple frequency bands that are required in the growing number of LEO space applications.