Antenna design

for
Space Applications

M. Sabbadini
European Space Agency, Noordwijk, The Netherlands
[email protected]

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author

 Day 2 overview
• Satellite communications
• Communication satellite antenna design
• Example of reflector antenna sizing
• Antenna technology for communication satellites

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 2

Antennas for Space Applications
 Antennas for Space Applications

Satellite Communications

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author

 System architectures
Fixed satellite communications
Telephony
C band
TV distribution
Ka band
Data transmission

Direct satellite broadcasting

TV (analog and digital)
Digital radio Ku band

Mobile satellite communications

Telephony
L, S + Ku band*
Multimedia
Ku-Ka band
Broadband * Link to ground station

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 4

Antennas for Space Applications
 Payload function
• Receive signals from ground
• Amplify signals
• Convert carrier frequency
from uplink to downlink
bands
• Transmit signals to ground

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 5

Antennas for Space Applications
 Fundamental parameters

Capacity: amount of information that can be transmitted in

unit time, strictly related to the density of the radio wave
flux that the satellite can generate on ground.

Availability: percentage of time in which the system

operates properly, needs to be very close to 1 for
communication systems (e.g. 99.95%).

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 6

Antennas for Space Applications
 Payload sizing

10W-1000W
G: ~ 120dB
BW: 0.2-1.5GHz

D 10-100 pW
H

Geostationary orbit case:

H=35786km
D=~42000km

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 7

Antennas for Space Applications
 Satellite orbits

Elliptic
orbits

LEO orbit
Geostationary
orbit

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 8

Antennas for Space Applications
 Earth viewing angle
r

θ
h

r = 6378km ⎛ r ⎞
θ = sin −1 ⎜ ⎟ ≅ 8.7°
h = 35860km ⎝r+h⎠

Minimum satellite elevation angle for ⎛ r ⎞

good visibility over the Earth horizon θ = sin ⎜ −1
cosγ ⎟
γ = 5°-10° ⎝r +h ⎠

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 9

Antennas for Space Applications
 Antennas for Space Applications

Communication Satellite
Antenna Design

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author

 Typical European coverages

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 11

Antennas for Space Applications
 Flux density and beam width
-80

-90

-100
Flux density (dBm-2)

edge level for fixed beam width

peak level for fixed beam width

-110 peak level of global beam

edge level of global beam

-120
beam edge
beam centre

-130
5deg

40deg 30deg 20deg 10deg

60deg 50deg
-140
250 5000 10000 20000 30000 35768
satellite altitude (km)

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 12

Antennas for Space Applications
 Gain and spot size

c a

e
b

Coverage a b c d e
Diameter (deg) 3 2 1.5 1 0.75
Antenna size (λ) 20 28.3 40 56.6 80
Minimum gain (dBi) 30 33 36 39 42

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 13

Antennas for Space Applications
 Multiple beams
To increase capacity with finite
power beams become smaller.
Several of them are needed to
cover the same area.

Spatial diversity

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 14

Antennas for Space Applications
 How to generate multiple beams?

Use several antennas (but they take a lot of space on the

satellite, which is small)

But thenhow is it possible to separate the beams from one

another?
There is need of some form of orthogonality.

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 15

Antennas for Space Applications
 Multibeam antennas

feeds
optical mirror reflector antenna

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 16

Antennas for Space Applications
 Reflector antenna parameters
parabola

Key quantities
Aperture
plane Diameter D
θ Focal length f
D C
θ’ Offset h
Feed spacing d
View angle φ
Focal Beam spacing θ
h ϕ plane
F Beam deviation κ=θ/θ’
V d factor κ<1, ≈1
f

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 17

Antennas for Space Applications
 Feed layout

The layout of feeds in the reflector focal plane is the mirror image of the desired
coverage.

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 18

Antennas for Space Applications
 Orthogonality
Having identified a way to separate the input ports, there is
need of a way to separate the fields radiated from of them, i.e.
some form of diversity.
There are 4 possibilities:

Polarisation very useful, but there are only 2 distinct ones

Frequency heavily used, but bandwidth is limited and filters do not
have infinitely sharp edges
Time of limited use since the information flow must be
continuous in most communication applications
Code used in some cases, it makes the receiver more complex

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 19

Antennas for Space Applications
 Beam crossover
The flux level across the coverage area varies since gain
changes across each beam footprint.
Minimum ripple is best from the system point of view.

Gmax
ΔG
Gmin Gmin

Gmax

The maximum of Gmin for a given aperture is obtained with ΔG ≈ 4.3dB.

ΔG ≈ 3dB is often preferred to improve the power budget.

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 20

Antennas for Space Applications
 Isolation
Signals falling in the frequency band allocated to one beam
and coming from others are an interference.
Beam orthogonality (spatial and polarisation diversity) requires
some level of decoupling (isolation) among beams.

Gmin

Copolar Crosspolar
Isolation Isolation

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 21

Antennas for Space Applications
 Sidelobe level
The sidelobe level is dictated by the higher spatial frequencies
of source currents in the source region.

Linear aperture x=[0,1]

with illumination changing
from uniform to sin(x).

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 22

Antennas for Space Applications
 Centred reflector systems
Centred reflector systems have high sidelobe levels due to the
blockage effect of the feed(s) or subreflector and to the
scattering of its supporting structure.

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 23

Antennas for Space Applications
 Offset reflector systems
Offset reflector systems have better performances, however
the feed does not illuminate equally the rim due to the
difference in path attenuation if pointed along the axis of cone
intersecting the rim.

The feed is instead pointed

at the projection on the D
2
reflector surface of the
aperture centre, so that the D
illumination of the rim 2
θ
becomes approximately θ
balanced.

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 24

Antennas for Space Applications
 Surface distortions
Surface distortions also affect the sidelobe level. They are due
to manufacturing and to thermal loads causing deformations.
Systematic (e.g. due to segmentation) and periodic (e.g. due
to the supporting structure) deformations give rise to specific
sidelobe patterns linked to their spatial frequencies.
Random surface errors of relatively small entity can be
assumed to generally reduce the peak gain and increase
sidelobe. The gain reduction can be considered as a reduction
in efficiency given by 2 ⎛ 4πσ ⎞
−⎜ ⎟
Ruze’s formula η =e ⎝ λ ⎠

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 25

Antennas for Space Applications
 Cross polarisation
Even if the feed has very pure polarisation, e.g. a corrugated
horn, the reflector curvature causes some cross polarisation to
appear. In a centred system the revolution symmetry ensure a
relatively low level, in an offset one the level is much higher.

Currents on reflector Cross-polar radiation

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 26
Antennas for Space Applications
 Beam scanning
Some other departures from an ideal behaviour of reflector
antennas are linked to the use of feeds out of focus .

Issues:
Beam deformation
C
Loss of gain
θ
Higher sidelobes
Higher crosspolar

Irregular beam grid

d
V H F

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 27

Antennas for Space Applications
 Improving scan performances
Scan losses, pattern distortion, sidelobe and cross polar level
increase with the distance of the feed from the focus.
Effects are marked when the distance is larger than a few λ.
The larger the f/D ratio of the reflector the lesser the effect (the
reflector surface is flatter).

Part of the effect could be

removed by re-pointing the
feeds toward the centre of the
reflector but this complicates
manufacturing as feeds are
not parallel any more.

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 28

Antennas for Space Applications
 Contoured beams
In many cases
it is important
to concentrate
the power flux
only where it is
really useful
and circles or
ellipses do not
abound in
geography.
Elliptic coverage Contoured coverage

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 29

Antennas for Space Applications
 Two alternatives for contouring
Contoured beams can be obtained by:
• Using an array with suitable complex excitation
• Using a reflector antenna fed by an array
• Using a reflector antenna with a non-parabolic reflector

Since the shape is usually fixed the use of an array with a

rather complex beam forming network and a large number of
elements is not justified.
Using a feed array it is easy to generate multiple shaped
beams, using a shaped reflector this is much more difficult, but
the antenna is much simpler.

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 30

Antennas for Space Applications
 Contoured-beam antennas
Feeding multiple feeds with the same signal, possibly with
different amplitude and phase weights, the reflector antenna
generates a shaped beam by superposition.

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 31

Antennas for Space Applications
 Reflector shaping
Changing the shape of the reflector will alter the phase and, to
a lesser extent, the amplitude of induced current (or of the
equivalent aperture distribution) thus modifying the beam.

Σ Σ

A A

Φ
Φ

F F
Parabolic reflector Shaped reflector

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 32

Antennas for Space Applications
 Shaped surface
The surface profile is
modified mainly looking
at the phase of currents.
Clearly the variations
could be limited to 2π,
but the reflector surface
needs to be continuous.
The resulting surface
may differ from the initial
parabolic profile by
several wavelengths.

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 33

Antennas for Space Applications
 Double shaped reflector
The non-uniform aperture
Σ
phase distribution reduces
the antenna efficiency.
A double reflector system A

can be used to minimise

the phase differences
while increasing amplitude
variations and still produce
Φ
a contoured beam.
At the cost of adding a
(small) reflector. F

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 34

Antennas for Space Applications
 Area-gain product
The efficiency of countered beam antennas is rather low, i.e.
their gain is much lower that what could be obtained with the
same aperture, therefore a different measure of efficiency is
required.
The area-gain product is usually applied in these cases to
have a measure of how well an antenna matches the
requirements.
Area is the measure in steradians of the coverage extent
Gain is the minimum gain achieved over the area

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 35

Antennas for Space Applications
 Double reflector antennas
Double reflector antennas offer
additional flexibility.
The sub-reflector viewing angle
may be differ from the main
reflector viewing angle and the
equivalent f/D ratio may differ from
that of the main reflector.
However they have higher losses
and a higher mass.
Sub-reflector
Also their scan capability is limited. viewing angle
Main reflector
viewing angle

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 36

Antennas for Space Applications
 Compensated reflector systems
An interesting option offered by multiple reflector systems is
that they can be arranged to behave as a centred system, e.g.
have the minimum of optical aberrations, like cross polar.

If constructing the image with

respect to the prime focus of the
Central ray
main reflector, i.e. the ideal surface
obtained reflecting the main Image of main
reflector
reflector surface into the chain of
sub-reflectors, the feed axis
coincides with the axis of the main
reflector image then the system is
equivalent to a centred one.

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 37

Antennas for Space Applications
 Dragone configuration
An interesting solution to
reduce the level of cross-
polar radiation is to use two
parabolic-cylinder reflector
one providing focusing in one
plane and the other in the
orthogonal plane.
A cylindrical surface does not
change the polarisation of the
field upon reflection. Ku-band Dragone double reflector antenna
(courtesy of EADS-CASA)

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 38

Antennas for Space Applications
Antennas for Space Applications

Example of reflector
antenna sizing

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author

 Design parameters
Requirements
• Geostationary satellite at 16°E
• European coverage
• Frequency 20/30 GHz
• Minimum gain 40dBi
Unknowns
• Reflector diameter
• Focal length
• Number of beams
• Feed size

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 40

Antennas for Space Applications
 Design procedure
All dimensions expressed in λ = 10,15 mm
2

GdBi,peak = 3+GdBi,min → (η=0.5), Gpeak =0.5(πD)2 Gmax = η 4π A2 = η ⎛⎜ πD ⎞⎟ λ ⎝ λ ⎠

D = √(4·104/π) = 113
λ
θ-3dB= 70/D = 0.62° θ −3dB = k
D

Assume beam spacing of 0.5° (to be adjusted later) and

h=D/4, f/D=1
4 f (h + D) 4 fh
φ =… ϕ = arctan(
4 f − (h + D)
2 2
) − arctan( 2
4f −h
)

Assume feed gain at reflector edge Gfeed,peak -6dB

2
⎛θ ⎞
φfeed,-3dB = φ/√2 G (θ ) = G (0 ) + (G (θ 0 ) − G (0 ))⎜⎜ ⎟⎟
⎝ θ0 ⎠

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 41

Antennas for Space Applications
 Design procedure cont’d
Derive feed diameter
d = 60/φfeed,-3dB λ
θ −3dB = k
D
Compute scan angle θ, assuming κ =1
d
θ = arctan
⎛ ⎛ D ⎞
2
⎞
2 ⎜ ⎜h + ⎟ ⎟
⎛ D⎞ ⎜ ⎝ 2⎠ ⎟
⎜ h + ⎟ ⎜ + f − ⎟
C

⎝ 2⎠ 4f
⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ θ

⎝ ⎠
Finally check consistency
with assumption of 0.5° d
V H F

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 42

Antennas for Space Applications
Antennas for Space Applications

Antenna technology
for communication
satellites

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author

 Rigid Reflectors
The reflector (shell) mainly use composite materials, i.e. a
sandwich consisting of:

Two surface skins in CFRP

(Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic)
(fibre + resin)

An “honeycomb” supporting
structure in:
• Aluminum
• Carbon
• Kevlar
• Nomex

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author Antennas for Space Applications
 Thick-shell Reflectors

1.4*1.8 m shaped reflector developed by Thales Alenia Space (France) in the

frame of EXPRESS AM2 program (Ku-band Tx/Rx)

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 45

Antennas for Space Applications
 Stiffened Thin-shell Reflectors
Manufacturing process Final product

Reflector

Mould

Reflector draping and co-curing

Assembly of stiffeners

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author Antennas for Space Applications
 Ultra-light Reflectors
3.8m shaped reflector using
triaxial skin thin sandwich of
1.5Kg/m2. Developed by
Astrium and Thales Alenia
Space.

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 47

Antennas for Space Applications
 Ultra-light Reflectors
2.5m, 1Kg/m2 Ku-band
dual-shaped Gregorian
reflector using triaxial
carbon fibre membrane
with stiffening web.
Developed by EADS-
CASA

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 48

Antennas for Space Applications
 Ultra-light Reflectors
2.2m, 1.2Kg/m2
CFRP ultra-light
shaped reflector built
by Thales Alenia
Space

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 49

Antennas for Space Applications
 Dual-Gridded reflectors
Shaped dual-gridded
reflector of 2.3 m using
a Kevlar front reflector
and CFRP back one.
EADS-CASA

© distribution forbidden without writtenAntennas

consent offor
theSpace
authorapplications 50
Antennas
University for Space
of Pisa,, Applications
March 8th 2005
 Earth deck module
Ka band earth deck
antenna module
incorporating 4 Rx and 1
Tx antennas together
with LNA box and RF
sensing developed by
Thales Alenia Space in
the frame of Hotbird VI
program.

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 51

Antennas for Space Applications
 Reflector antennas with large F/D

Courtesy of Alcatel-Alenia Space

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 52

Antennas for Space Applications
 Foldable antennas

Courtesy of Alcatel-Alenia Space

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 53

Antennas for Space Applications
 Dual-reflector multi-beam antenna

Courtesy of Alcatel-Alenia Space

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 54

Antennas for Space Applications
 Waveguide feed array

Courtesy of Thales Alenia Space

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 55

Antennas for Space Applications
 Thuraya satellite for mobile 12.5m mesh reflector
communications
(more than 200 beams )

Courtesy of RUAG Aerospace

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 56

Antennas for Space Applications
 ARTEMIS
3 m reflector Telecom
for L-band technology
satellite
(ESA)

ARTEMIS in the ESTEC CPTR for testing

Courtesy of RUAG Aerospace

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 57

Antennas for Space Applications
 Courtesy of MDA

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 58

Antennas for Space Applications
 L-band feed array

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 59

Antennas for Space Applications
 C-band beam forming network

Courtesy of EADS-Astrium

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 60

Antennas for Space Applications
 Multi-beam feed system

Courtesy of Alcatel-Alenia Space

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 61

Antennas for Space Applications
 Active antenna for LEO
Support
Structure

Power Rx Radiating
unit Panel

Tx Radiating
Panel

Rx LNA / BFN
Assembly
Tx BFN
Pointing
mechanism

0.57m x 0.33m
14 kg

Courtesy of Thales Alenia Space

© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 62

Antennas for Space Applications
© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 63
Antennas for Space Applications
© distribution forbidden without written consent of the author 64
Antennas for Space Applications