Haystack ultra-wideband Satellite Imaging Radar antenna

MIT Lincoln Laboratory recently completed a major upgrade to the Haystack long range imaging radar adding W band (92-100 GHz) radar capability to the existing X band radar so that the new dual band radar, the Haystack Ultra-wideband Satellite Imaging Radar (HUSIR), is capable of producing very high resolution images at W band while retaining the deep space imaging capabilities of the X band system. The original Haystack antenna was a technological marvel when built, but it was not capable of efficient operation at W band frequencies. As part of the HUSIR upgrade, the 36.6 m diameter antenna was rebuilt with a goal of achieving and maintaining a surface tolerance of 100 μm rms under all operating conditions.