Half-Height Satellite-on-the-Move Antenna System

  • Status
    Ongoing
  • Status date
    2012-11-05
Objectives

Antennas with lower heights than conventional dish base solutions would benefit several Satellite On The Move (SOTM) applications where height is restricted or a lower profile is desirable. This Project will investigate possible approaches.

The objective of the project is to design and build a breadboard antenna system to investigate a Ku band antenna solution for Satellite On The Move (SOTM) Applications.

Challenges

The key issue to be addressed is to assess the RF performance of an antenna of reduced height. The aim being to reduce the height without the commensurate loss of RF performance that normally occurs.

Benefits

Assuming the antenna breadboard testing is concluded successfully it will open the way to bring a product to market that has the same performance of the existing products packaged in an enclosure of approximately half of the height.

Features

The system will utilize a stabilized platform to point the antenna accurately at the satellite situated in the geo stationary arc. The system will be designed for two-way communication with the satellite.

Plan

The RF components of the breadboard antenna will be designed and their performance measured. The breadboard will then be assembled andtested on an anternna test range.

Current status

The Baseline Design Review was held at MDSRL on the 15th July 2011 and the Mid Term Review on 22nd February 2012. The antenna breadboard was successfully tested in Montreal during August and the Final Review was held on 16th October 2012. The review considered that the project had been completed successfully.