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Sharping and Chiao Win DARPA Grant

October 15, 2014

Sharping and Chiao win DARPA Grant for Gravity Wave Based Communications

Profs Sharping and Chiao have just started Phase 2 of a DARPA STTR program “Generation and amplification of gravitational waves for military communications”

This project addresses a need for world-wide communications and navigation systems which do not need a skyview link or line-of-sight and which are less vulnerable to threat activity. Satellite communication and navigation systems are vulnerable to interdiction and are expensive to maintain and operate. One very high risk approach is the adaptation of gravitational radiation (GR) to communications. GR is unaffected by obstructions such as the mass of the earth and thus offers a promise of world-wide, ground-based communications and navigation systems.

Profs Chiao and Sharping will construct a parametric amplifier and oscillator system for generating and detecting gravitational microwaves using a moving, impermeable superconducting membrane as its active element.