Specialized Arrays

Inventors of the only operationally feasible 24/7 widely-spaced transmit arraying system

OUR STORY

Specialized Arrays was founded in 2011 by two Nationally recognized Domain Experts in the area of widely-spaced, large reflector, coherent transmit and calibrated receive arraying. 

The founders, Ms. Kathy Minear and Dr. G. Pat Martin are the inventors and demonstrators of the only 24/7 robust solution to this problem; a continuously, self-calibrating system, with no down-time and no need for external calibration targets.  The antennas are always optimally synchronized.

They began working on the widely-spaced, ground reflector coherent transmit arraying technology in 2005 for a Deep Space Communications problem.  Multiple 12m antennas (an array) were being considered as a potential replacement for a single 70m Deep Space Network antenna.  In 2010 they successfully demonstrated their invention receiving NASA Exceptional Engineering Achievement Medals from former NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden and Associate Administrator, Chris Scolese.  The array remained coherent for the entire six months of operation without the need for recalibration.  If the power was on, it was ready for the mission.

Over the last decade, Sarrays has extended this technology to multi-static radar arrays for Space Domain Awareness and GEO-monitoring.   These patented, notional radar systems feature 24/7 optimal antenna synchronization without having to point off to external targets recalibrate.  

In 2015, after being challenged to remove the wires and fiber that connected the antennas and to allow them to act independently, they discovered a method to do just that; quick deployable, independent node arraying.    This patented, notional system can use small manpack antennas.  This enables high power and low probability of detection, on-the-move, where the alternative, a single large antenna, would be an easy target. 

Sarrays’ founders are mathematicians, physicists and system engineers with decades of experience and inventors on over 40 patents; the right combination to take the customer’s use-case from concept to simulation to prototype to operational system.

Two of our successful arraying prototype demonstrations:  Large Reflector, Spacecraft 

NASA TxACE array of 3 12m reflector antennas to a GEO target at X-band demo remained coherent for the entire six months of operation w/o recalibration
Conformal-body transmit arraying demonstration featuring spherical spacecraft COMM coverage (Image credit: with permission, AIAA)