Active Phased Array Antenna Most Suitable Space Activities

Paper number

IAC-08.B2.4.5

Author

Prof. Tadashi Takano, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Japan

Coauthor

Prof. Hirokazu Ikeda, The Institute of Space and Astronautical Science / JAXA, Japan

Coauthor

Dr. Yasuhiro Kazama, The Institute of Space and Astronautical Science / JAXA, Japan

Coauthor

Prof. Shigeo Kawasaki , Kyoto University, Japan

Coauthor

Prof. Hiroshi Toshiyoshi , University of Tokyo, Japan

Coauthor

Dr. Yukio Kamata , The Institute of Space and Astronautical Science / JAXA, Japan

Coauthor

Dr. Akira Sugawara, The Institute of Space and Astronautical Science / JAXA, Japan

Coauthor

Dr. Tamotsu Suda, Japan Radio Co.,Ltd, Japan

Year

2008

Abstract

A space flier such as a satellite, an explorer or a space station is required the complicated and accurate operations of antennas in accordance to a far distance, a limited angular relation among the flier, the Earth and the sun, and the unknown circumstances of communications in order to accomplish space activities, For example, antennas should be switched from a low gain antenna (LGA) to a high gain antenna (HGA) when the flier is going a far distance, or switched from HGA to LGA in the case of an instable flier’s attitude. The preferred characteristics of antennas are dependant on the mission of each flier. On the other hand, some deep space explorers had difficulties to expand a folded antenna, or others failed to find the actual link direction due to the loss of attitude information.

 Accordingly, IRIDIUM uses a phased array antenna (PAA) for beam reconfiguration. Also, NASA and ESA have started to use a phased array antenna (PAA) for deep space exploration of Mercury and Saturn. The conventional PAA, however, has the following problems to inhibit more  active applications: (1) large mass, (2) large volume, (3) large power consumption and (4) high cost. 

 This paper describes a novel architecture of an active phased array antenna (APAA) which is considered to be most suitable for space activities. The proposed scheme can solve the above-mentioned problems and offer the agility of beam handling. The key technologies are as follows:

(1) Partial drive technique: Only a half of the radiating elements are driven, and the rest are replaced with parasites or metallic rods.

(2) Integration of antennas and associated electronics such as amplifiers and phase shifters.

(3) Packaging of amplifiers and phase shifters. 

(4) A novel switch with RF-MEMS technology for a phase shifter. 

(5) Applications of APAA to mobile satellite communications. 

This paper describes the details of those technologies. 
 
 Originally, the R&D project was established for putting APAAs into practical uses in terrestrial communications, though the technologies can be used to space applications. This paper also presents the constitution and schedule of the R&D project. 

Abstract document

IAC-08.B2.4.5.pdf

Manuscript document

(absent)