PERFORMANCE OF SCANNED QUIET ZONES IN COMPENSATED COMPACT RANGES FOR ANTENNA AND PAYLOAD TESTING

摘要

Large dual reflector compact ranges are typically designed for antenna and payload testing of spacecraft antennas and payload units. Astrium's Compensated Compact Ranges have two major advantages for such measurements: (a) A very small cross-polarization (<-40 dB over the entire test zone) for frequencies ≥ 3 GHz due to the compensating reflector design, (b) A scanning capability of the test zone due to the short effective focal length of the reflector system. The first item is a necessary condition for precise spacecraft antenna measurements at which the cross-polar performance is an important requirement and was subject to multiple publications in the past. The second one, the scanning capability, is an additional feature that was addressed in the past, but has not been analyzed in detail so far. This paper addresses practical implementations, achieved performance figures of the latest installations and inherent limitations by the utilization of the scanned quiet zones at a CCR test facility for antenna and payload testing.