Abstract
In the paper the development of a fully electronic transmit-receive phased-array antenna system in Ku-band for aircraft communications via satellite is presented. Particular emphasis has been placed in the improvement of the following key elements: a dual-polarization self-diplexing radiating element, a transmit/receive active module with full polarization agility based on a digital vector modulator and a SiGe multinode MMIC. The optimized antenna elements enable a significant improvement towards the realization of a future affordable commercial product for satellite communications.
Highlights
Broadband connectivity has become essential in everyday life both for business and for entertainment
Moving from experimental verification to operational conditions, aeronautical broadband services provided by satellites is today a reality; but to be commercially attractive, the services offered via satellite should have a quality comparable to those available via terrestrial networks, should allow the same type of applications and should be offered at an affordable cost
Together with the technical issues to be addressed, a main driver is the cost, which comprises the cost of ground segment, which is related to materials, installation and maintenance of the equipment, the cost of the satellite segment and the overall operations of the system
Summary
Broadband connectivity has become essential in everyday life both for business and for entertainment. This, together with the increasing demand of mobile connectivity in locations where terrestrial networks are not available or less efficient, has promoted the development of antennas to be installed on aircrafts, trains, boats and vans to provide interconnection via satellite. Moving from experimental verification to operational conditions, aeronautical broadband services provided by satellites is today a reality; but to be commercially attractive, the services offered via satellite should have a quality comparable to those available via terrestrial networks, should allow the same type of applications and should be offered at an affordable cost. Focusing on the aeronautical platforms, satellite communication is the only means to provide continuous connectivity over the oceans. Airborne RF communication system applications pose challenging problems to current antenna technology:
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