NASA funds study on robotically assembled metamaterials for space radar

NASA has selected a new concept study that could revolutionize space situational awareness by using robotically assembled electromagnetic metamaterials to build large, reconfigurable antennas in orbit. The project, led by David Smith at Duke University, aims to overcome the limitations of ground-based radar systems that cannot effectively track objects beyond low Earth orbit, such as in cislunar space.

Current ground-based radar arrays, like the upgraded Space Fence, can monitor objects as small as four inches but are limited to low Earth orbit due to the immense distances involved. For coherent radar, the required array size grows proportionally with target distance, making ground-based systems impractical for cislunar surveillance. Space-based radar systems offer a solution, but they require extremely large apertures—beyond the 100-meter limit of current deployable structures that must fit inside a single launch fairing.

The proposed system pairs robotic assembly technology from NASA's ARMADAS project with volumetric metamaterials that can be reconfigured for beam steering without mechanical movement. This modular, unit-cell-driven approach allows nearly arbitrary scaling, enabling apertures large enough for long-range sensing. The study will demonstrate feasibility at S-band frequencies, using a dipole model validated at smaller scales and full-wave numerical methods for element design.

If successful, the technology could also benefit Earth observation and deep-space communications, as larger apertures improve resolution and sensitivity across many NASA missions. The project was selected under the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program in 2026, with the goal of advancing design strategies for omnidirectional beam forming and reconfigurable unit cells compatible with robotic assembly.