Active Phased Array Antenna for WINDS satellite

Abstract

[Abstract] Phased array antenna (PAA) has attracted attention for use as a hopping spot beam antenna that can potentially be used as an electronically controllable onboard satellite antenna. In fact, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has developed a Ka band active phased array antenna (APAA) installed on the Wideband Internetworking engineering test and Demonstration Satellite (WINDS). We developed flight models of the APAA and verified its performance, including its radiation characteristics. This paper describes the design of the APAA and development results of the flight model. I. Introduction PAA has attracted attention for use as a hopping spot beam antenna that can potentially be used as an electronically controllable onboard satellite antenna. In fact, a Ka band APAA will be installed on the WINDS. WINDS has been developed to construct a high-speed satellite communication system and demonstrate the advanced technology that is necessary for the formation of the satellite commnications network. The system aims at maximum speed of 155 Mbps / 6 Mbps for households with a 45-centimeter aperture antenna, which is the same size as existing communications satellite antenna, and ultra-high speed of 1.2 Gbps communication for offices with a five-meter diameter antenna. In addition to establishing a domestic ultra high speed Internet network, the project also aims to realize ultra-high speed international Internet access, especially with Asian Pacific countries and regions. WINDS project is under joint development by JAXA and National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT). WINDS will be launched by an H-IIA Launch Vehicle in early 2008. The APAA is composed of a transmitting antenna and a receiving antenna, and each antenna has two hopping spot beams. The direction of each beam can be controlled independently, flexibly and rapidly. These beams can also realize the satellite switched time division multiple access (SS-TDMA) communication functions. The hopping spot beam function and SS-TDMA communication systems will be utilized for broadband communication experiments covering the Asia-Pacific region. The key features of the APAA are the minimal number of elements, development of RF components operating over 1.1 GHz bandwidth, monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) devices, and high density packages for miniaturization and lightness. This paper describes the WINDS APAA configuration, and development results of the flight model.