PAGE CONTENTS
Objectives
The SPADA antenna focuses on a hybrid approach combining simple manual adjustment and phased array technology. The whole concept targets cost-effectiveness in combination with increased functionality (dual-beam), ease-of-operation and low-profile. By electronically scanning in one plane and manually adjusting the antenna in the perpendicular plane, the SPADA antenna offers the possibility of receiving independently two GEO satellite signals freely to be selected by the user as long as both satellites are in the field of view of the SPADA antenna. Furthermore, the antenna is extremely flat and extrudes only little when mounted making it quite invisible to the untrained eye. The hybrid beam steering concept is highly cost-effective by significantly reducing the number of active components.
Challenges
To realise a low profile cost-effective antenna frontend capable of generating two independent beams for a wide scan range.
System Architecture
The architecture of the SPADA antenna is based on a classical phase array topology using corechips that possess LNA, amplitude and phase shifters. The antenna aperture consists of 80 column arrays; each composed of 8 slot fed stacked patches with a 8-to-1 feeding network. The output of each column array is fed into a corechip where the correct amplitudes and phases are applied for generating the desired beam pointing and skew angle.
Plan
The project is broken down in the following work packages:
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WP1 Antenna technical requirements
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WP2 Antenna technology selection
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WP3 Antenna detailed design and prototype definition
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WP4 Manufactured antenna prototype
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WP5 Antenna prototype verification
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WP6 Technology development plan
The most important milestones are:
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Preliminary design review where important decisions about the baseline topology have to be made.
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Critical design review where the details of the baseline design have to be discussed and test results of first breadboards are reviewed.
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Test review where the measurement results of the submodule far fields are discussed and analysed.
Current Status
The project has been completed.
Companies
