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At least 721 records · Page 40
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1990

A convenient technique for polarimetric calibration of single-antenna radar systems

A practical technique for calibrating single-antenna polarimetric radar systems is introduced. This technique requires only a single calibration target such as a conducting sphere or a trihedral corner reflector to calibrate the radar system, both in amplitude and phase, for all linear polarization configurations. By using a metal sphere, which is orientation independent, error in calibration measurement is minimized while simultaneously calibrating the crosspolarization channels. The antenna system and two orthogonal channels (in free space) are modeled as a four-port passive network. Upon using the reciprocity relations for the passive network and assuming the crosscoupling terms of the antenna to be equal, the crosstalk factors of the antenna system and the transmit and receive channel imbalances can be obtained from measurement of the backscatter from a metal sphere. For an X-band radar system with crosspolarization isolation of 25 dB, comparison of values measured for a sphere and a cylinder with theoretical values shows agreement within 0.4 dB in magnitude and 5 deg in phase. An effective polarization isolation of 50 dB is achieved using this calibration technique.

Sarabandi, Kamal↗
NASA NTRS1990

The radiation pattern of a monopole antenna attached to a conducting box

A system investigation was undertaken to determine the radiation patterns of a monopole antenna mounted on a cubical conducting box over a ground plane. The effects of the location of the monopole and the electrical size of the box were compared with similar patterns measured over a flat ground plane and with numerically predicted values obtained from a method-of-moments patch code. It was concluded that the location at which a monopole antenna is mounted on a conducting box and the electrical size of the box clearly affect the overall radiation pattern of a monopole antenna. In general, mounting the antenna away from the center of the box will increase the depth of the nulls. In particular, planes will also increase the maximum E(phi) component of the field to the extent that it can become comparable to E(theta).

Chu, Andrew W. C.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Design of an optically controlled Ka-band GaAs MMIC phased-array antenna

Phased array antennas long were investigated to support the agile, multibeam radiating apertures with rapid reconfigurability needs of radar and communications. With the development of the Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC), phased array antennas having the stated characteristics are becoming realizable. However, at K-band frequencies (20 to 40 GHz) and higher, the problem of controlling the MMICs using conventional techniques either severely limits the array size or becomes insurmountable due to the close spacing of the radiating elements necessary to achieve the desired antenna performance. Investigations were made that indicate using fiber optics as a transmission line for control information for the MMICs provides a potential solution. By adding an optical interface circuit to pre-existing MMIC designs, it is possible to take advantage of the small size, lightweight, mechanical flexibility and RFI/EMI resistant characteristics of fiber optics to distribute MMIC control signals. The architecture, circuit development, testing and integration of optically controlled K-band MMIC phased array antennas are described.

Kunath, Richard R.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Integrated 222-GHz corner-reflector antennas

A high-gain monolithic millimeter-wave antenna has been designed, fabricated, and tested at 222 GHz. The structure consists of a traveling-wave antenna integrated on a 1.2-micron dielectric membrane and suspended in a longitudinal cavity etched in a silicon wafer. A new traveling-wave antenna design yields a wideband input impedance and a low cross-polarization component in the E- and quasi-H-plane patterns. A directivity of 17.7 dB and a main-beam efficiency of 88.5 percent are calculated from the 222-GHz pattern measurements. The integrated corner-reflector antenna is well suited for millimeter- and submillimeter-wave imaging applications in large f-number systems.

Gearhart, Steven S.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Integral sunshade for an optical reception antenna

Optical reception antennas (telescopes) must be capable of receiving communications even when the deep-space laser source is located within a small angle of the sun. Direct sunlight must not be allowed to shine on the primary reflector of an optical reception antenna, because too much light would be scattered into the signal detectors. A conventional sunshade that does not obstruct the antenna aperture would have to be about five times longer than its diameter in order to receive optical communications at a solar elongation of 12 degrees without interference. Such a long sunshade could not be accommodated within the dome of any existing large-aperture astronomical facility, and providing a new dome large enough would be prohibitively expensive. It is also desirable to reduce the amount of energy a space-based large-aperture optical reception facility would expend orienting a structure with such a sizable moment of inertia. Since a large aperture optical reception antenna will probably have a hexagonally segmented primary reflector, a sunshade consisting of hexagonal tubes can be mounted in alignment with the segmentation without producing any additional geometric obstruction. An analysis of the duration and recurrence of solar-conjunction communications outages (caused when a deep-space probe near an outer planet appears to be closer to the sun than a given minimum solar elongation), and the design equations for the integral sunshade are appended.

Kerr, Edwin L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

A numerical procedure for recovering scattering coefficients from measurements with wide-beam antennas

A numerical procedure for estimating true scattering coefficients, sigma0, from measurements made using wide-beam antennas is discussed. The use of wide-beam antennas results in an inaccurate estimate of sigma0. To reduce this error, the authors propose a correction procedure that estimates the error resulting from the use of narrow-beam approximation and utilizes the error to obtain a more accurate estimate of sigma0. An exponential model is assumed to take into account the variation of sigma0 with incidence angles, and the model parameters are estimated from measured data. Based on the model and knowledge of the antenna pattern, the procedure calculates the error due to the narrow-beam approximation. The procedure is shown to provide a significant improvement in the estimation of sigma0 obtained in wide-beam antennas. The proposed procedure is also shown to be insensitive to the assumed sigma0 model.

Wang, Qinglin↗
NASA NTRS1990

User Antennas

The following subject areas are covered: (1) impact of frequency change of user and spacecraft antenna gain and size; (2) basic personal terminal antennas (impact of 20/30 GHz frequency separation; parametric studies - gain, size, weight; gain and figure of merit (G/T); design data for selected antenna concepts; critical technologies and development goals; and recommendations); and (3) user antenna radiation safety concerns.

Jamnejad, Vahraz↗
NASA NTRS1991

The science benefits of and the antenna requirements for microwave remote sensing from geostationary orbit

The primary objective of the Large Space Antenna (LSA) Science Panel was to evaluate the science benefits that can be realized with a 25-meter class antenna in a microwave/millimeter wave remote sensing system in geostationary orbit. The panel concluded that a 25-meter or larger antenna in geostationary orbit can serve significant passive remote sensing needs in the 10 to 60 GHz frequency range, including measurements of precipitation, water vapor, atmospheric temperature profile, ocean surface wind speed, oceanic cloud liquid water content, and snow cover. In addition, cloud base height, atmospheric wind profile, and ocean currents can potentially be measured using active sensors with the 25-meter antenna. Other environmental parameters, particularly those that do not require high temporal resolution, are better served by low Earth orbit based sensors.

Stutzman, Warren L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

A portable Ku-band front-end test package for beam-waveguide antenna performance evaluation

A 34-m beam-waveguide (BWG) antenna has been built a Deep Space Station 13 (DDS 13) in the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex. This antenna is designed to be efficient at X-, Ku-, and Ka-bands, and it is the first NASA tracking antenna to use a BWG design. The design of a Ku-band test package for the new BWG antenna at 11.7-12.2 GHz is presented. Results of linear polarization measurements with the test package on the ground are also presented. This report is the fifth in a series of articles concerned with test package design and performance.

Otoshi, T. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Expected antenna utilization and overload

The trade-offs between the number of antennas at Deep Space Network (DSN) Deep-Space Communications Complex and the fraction of continuous coverage provided to a set of hypothetical spacecraft, assuming random placement of the space craft passes during the day. The trade-offs are fairly robust with respect to the randomness assumption. A sample result is that a three-antenna complex provides an average of 82.6 percent utilization of facilities and coverage of nine spacecraft that each have 8-hour passes, whereas perfect phasing of the passes would yield 100 percent utilization and coverage. One key point is that sometimes fewer than three spacecraft are visible, so an antenna is idle, while at other times, there aren't enough antennas, and some spacecraft do without service. This point of view may be useful in helping to size the network or to develop a normalization for a figure of merit of DSN coverage.

Posner, Edward C.↗
NASA NTRS1991

SATCOM antenna siting study on P-3C aircraft, volume 2

This volume contains an antenna location study for the P-3C aircraft. From this location study, a determination can be made of the complete antenna system required to achieve the desired pattern and polarization coverage. The antenna used is the same Batwing airborne UHF satellite communications antenna use in volume 1. The aircraft model used in the majority of the locations studied is the simple cylindrical aircraft model defined in volume 1.

Bensman, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Planar dielectric resonator stabilized HEMT oscillator integrated with CPW/aperture coupled patch antenna

A new design of an active antenna with a dielectric resonator stabilized high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) oscillator (DRO) and an aperture-coupled patch antenna is reported. The circuit is fabricated using coplanar waveguide (CPW) with the oscillator and the antenna on opposite sides of the substrate. The active antenna was demonstrated at 7.6 GHz; however, the design can be scaled to higher frequencies. Excellent oscillator characteristics and radiation patterns were obtained.

Simons, Rainee N.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Properties data for opening the Galileo's partially unfurled main antenna

An investigation was conducted into the friction and wear behavior of both unlubricated and dry-film-lubricated (Tiolube 460) titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) in contact with an uncoated high-nickel-content superalloy (Inconel 718) both in vacuum and in air. The acquisition of friction and wear data for this sliding couple was motivated by the need for input data for the 'antenna stuck ribs model' effort to free Galileo's High Gain Antenna. The results of the investigation indicate that galling occurred in the unlubricated system in vacuum and that the coefficient of friction increased to 1.2. The abnormally high friction (1.45) was observed when relatively large wear debris clogged at the sliding interface. The coefficient of friction for the dry-film-lubricated system in vacuum is 0.04, while the value in air is 0.13. The endurance life of the dry-film lubricant is about three orders of magnitude greater in vacuum than in air. The worn surfaces of the dry-film-lubricated Ti-6Al-4V pin and Inconel 718 disk first run in humid air and then rerun in vacuum was completely different from that of the pin and disk run only in vacuum. When galling occurred in the humid-air and vacuum contact, coefficient of friction rose to 0.32 when sliding in humid air and to 1.4 when sliding in vacuum. The galling was accompanied by severe surface damage and extensive transfer of the Ti-6Al-4V to the Inconel 718, or vice versa. When spalling occurred in the dry-film-lubricated Ti-6Al-4V pin run only in vacuum, the coefficient of friction rose to 0.36 or greater. The wear damage caused by spalling can self-heal when rerun in vacuum - the coefficient of friction decreased to 0.05. The friction and wear data obtained can be used for the 'antenna stuck ribs model' effort to free Galileo's high gain antenna.

Miyoshi, Kazuhisa↗
NASA NTRS1992

A microwave holography methodology for diagnostics and performance improvement for large reflector antennas

This microwave holography technique utilizes the Fourier transform relation between the complex far field radiation pattern of an antenna and the complex aperture field distribution. Resulting aperture phase and amplitude distribution data can be used to precisely characterize various crucial performance parameters, including panel alignment, panel shaping, subreflector position, antenna aperture illumination, directivity at various frequencies, and gravity deformation effects. The methodology of data processing presented here was successfully applied to the Deep Space Network (DSN) 34-m beam waveguide antennas. The antenna performance was improved at all operating frequencies by reducing the main reflector mechanical surface rms error to 0.43 mm. At Ka-band (32 GHz), the estimated improvement is 4.1 dB, resulting in an aperture efficiency of 52 percent. The performance improvement was verified by efficiency measurements and additional holographic measurements.

Rochblatt, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Antenna pattern control using impedance surfaces

The modification of a moment method code is described. Analyses of horn antennas were conducted extensively. Excellent agreements with measured results were observed for pyramidal horn antennas with perfectly conducting surfaces. The predicted results are so accurate that even the finest ripple structures in the far-field radiation patterns are computed correctly. Preliminary results for the radiation patterns of pyramidal horns with impedance surfaces were also obtained. Discussions of using the code in accurate modeling of practical pyramidal horn antennas are also included. After the code for the analysis of the horn antennas with impedance materials is finalized, the synthesis problem will be examined in the coming research period.

Balanis, Constantine A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

DSS-13 26-meter antenna upgraded radiometer system

The Deep Space Station (DSS)-13 26-m antenna radiometer system was upgraded with an IBM-compatible computer-controlled configuration with improved supporting hardware and software. Software was generated to analyze results and correct for antenna mispointing, tropospheric loss, and other observing errors. This total power radiometer configuration provides a prototype for the new DSS-13 34-m antenna. The radiometer system is described in terms of the theory, instrumentation hardware, computer configuration, and operational features and performance. The system is used to obtain antenna efficiency and pointing model data and is useful for radio source calibrations required for radio astronomy. Some recent results are given.

Stelzried, C. T.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Ka-band feed arrays for spacecraft reflector antennas with limited scan capability: An overview

JPL and NASA are in the process of developing ground and spacecraft antenna systems at Ka-band frequencies for future deep space applications. The use of Ka-band (32-GHz down) communication will result in smaller ground and spacecraft antennas and associated equipment, and will provide larger bandwidths necessary for very high data rate communication and radio navigation. In this article, the use of a small phased array as a feed for a reflector antenna system with limited scan capability is addressed. Different feed and antenna configurations, as well as array architectures, are examined. Some theoretical and experimental parameters of a particular breadboard feed array developed by JPL and the University of Massachusetts are presented. Guidelines for the future direction of this effort are provided.

Jamnejad, V.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Planar dielectric resonator stabilized HEMT oscillator integrated with CPW/aperture coupled patch antenna

A design of an active antenna with a dielectric resonator stabilized high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) oscillator (DRO) and an aperture-coupled patch antenna is reported. The circuit is fabricated using coplanar waveguide (CPW) with the oscillator and the antenna on opposite sides of the substrate. The active antenna was demonstrated at 7.6 GHz; however, the design can be scaled to higher frequencies. Excellent oscillator characteristics and radiation patterns were obtained.

Simons, Rainee N.↗