30/20 GHz Band Small Earth Station for ISSDN Experiment

The system design and operational results of a 30/20 GHz band small Earth station for integrated services satellite digital network (ISSDN) experiments are presented. The Earth station has a high efficiency offset Cassegrain antenna with elliptical beam, a high power klystron amplifier with 1 kW output power and an uncooled parametric low noise amplifier with 200 K noise temperature. Experiments were performed using the medium capacity communications satellite for experimental purposes (CS). Performance on the Earth station was high. Effective radiation power (ERP) was greater than 88.1 dBW, and the receiving figure of merit (G/T) was larger than 30.6 dB/K. Good transmission characteristics were obtained through the satellite link for demand assigned time-division multiple access (DA-TDMA) with 20 Mbit/s bit rate.     

基于分布式地面站天线的空间功率合成

卫星导航系统(GNSS)地面站天线对卫星进行上行注入时,信号到达卫星时较弱,容易受到干扰,故地面站注入天线需同时具备平时多目标注入和干扰时单目标功率增强的能力。利用卫星导航系统中地面站之间能够实现精密时间同步的特点,提出了一种基于分布式卫星导航地面站抛物面天线的空间功率合成方法,使用相位预补偿实现分布式天线阵到达目标卫星信号的相位粗同步;分析了相位误差、辐射功率误差对空间功率合成效率的影响,得到了阵元初始相位标定精度与相对定位精度的约束关系;并对合成信号的抗干扰能力和信号质量进行了研究。理论和仿真结果表明,当相位精度因子小于0.2时,4个等辐射功率天线在10°仰角以上波束扫描范围内的功率合成效率均在75%以上,且可以通过控制初始相位标定精度与相对定位精度实现更高的合成效率;而在合成效率要求75%以上时,天线辐射功率误差对合成效率的影响基本可以忽略。采用分布式波束扫描天线能够对地面站上行注入进行功率增强,可实现注入波束和功率的灵活配置,有效解决制约机动式和小型化地面站功率提升的瓶颈问题。     

The Use of Extraterrestrial Radio Sources in the Measurement of Antenna Parameters

Extraterrestrial radio sources, whose emission characteristics (flux density, spectrum, angular size) and coordinates have been firmly established by careful observations, have application in the measurement of the effective area (aperture efficiency and gain) of an antenna and its radiation pattern. The radio-emission characteristics of the strong discrete (celestial) radio sources, of the sun, and of the moon are presented. Problems encountered when the sensitivity is insufficient for complete radiation pattern determination , when the width of the radio source is comparable to the beamwidth of the antenna, when the illumination of the antenna aperture varies with pointing direction, or when the techniques are extended (after determining the gain of the ground-based antenna) to the measurement of the effective radiated power from a satellite are discussed.     

Optimum Design of Single Channel per Carrier Satellite Systems

Optimization of available satellite power and transponder bandwidth is utilized to minimize the Earth station G/T in satellite channel per carrier (SCPC) systems. The corresponding optimum transponder output backoff is obtained. Applications in system design are given. In a previous paper [1] the channel capacity of a satellite transponder handling single channel per carrier (SCPC) transmission was derived. The link carrier-to-noise (C/N) ratio was maximized over the output backoff and the maximum bandwidth available was determined. Given the bandwidth per channel for each carrier, the channel capacity was obtained. The objective of the present investigation is to derive the minimum G/T of the Earth station in SCPC systems by optimum utilization of available satellite power and transponder bandwidth. Applications in system design are discussed.     

Single Channel Per Carrier Satellite Repeater Channel Capacity

This paper analyzes the performance of a number of modulation and speech processing techniques that have been considered for single voice channel per carrier transmissions via satellite. This transmission mode is applicable to demand assignment systems, which make possible the most efficient loading of the satellite transponder in applications where the traffic at individual Earth terminals is not sufficient to justify a substantial number of dedicated channels. The analysis basically determines the operating point for the satellite transponder which minimizes the required Earth terminal G/T. The fraction of the total link noise allocated to uplink noise is treated as a parameter, so that the cost of improving G/T may be traded against the cost of providing increased Earth terminal transmitter power. Both analog and digital modulation techniques are considered, together with various practical combinations of syllabic companding, voice-actuated carriers, and error-correcting codes. The results are presented in general analytic form, applicable to any modulation technique for which carrier-to-noise density ratio, channel width, and guardband width may be specified. Curves showing required G/T as a function of the total number of voice channels per transponder are also presented for the above-mentioned signal processing techniques, assuming "CCIR/CITT type" speech quality and transponder EIRP and bandwidth typical of current domestic satellite configurations.     

利用GNSS实现高轨卫星自主导航的新方案

针对GNSS应用于GEO卫星导航存在的导航信号弱、可见卫星少、定位几何差等突出问题,探讨了一种在GPS导航星冲天面安装导航天线并辐射导航信号的新方案,设计了冲天面天线和GEO接收天线的波束宽度和增益以及讨论了冲天天线所需发射功率,分析了新方案中GEO卫星对GPS卫星可见性、GDOP和定位精度。分析表明,新方案仅需从现有导航星引出一部天线,即可实现以小于10W的功率代价使得GEO卫星80%以上的时间里可以利用GPS系统定位,且定位精度约77m。通过仿真验证了本方案的可行性。     

Capacity as a consideration for providing aeronautical mobilesatellite air traffic services in the US domestic airspace

A preliminary analysis of the capacity (number of aircraft) that could be handled by the first generation American Mobile Satellite Corporation (AMSC) system in the early part of the 21st century is reported. The analysis is based on assumptions for the service demand, the Aeronautical Telecommunication Network (ATN), the communications scheme, the satellite channel and the aircraft Earth station. Capacity is examined in terms of spectral bandwidth required and satellite power limitations. The sensitivity of the results is examined with regard to variations in service demand; spectral efficiencies of different modulation techniques; aircraft antenna equipage, high-gain or low-gain; and the amount of overhead associated with the ATN. With regard to the ATN, the analysis only illustrates the impact on capacity if some of the ATN overhead were eliminated. The feasibility of eliminating this overhead and the possible resulting loss of functionality are not addressed     

Radio Interferometry of Random Terrestrial Backgrounds

When relative motion exists between the antenna of a microwave radiometer and a random background, the variance of the radiometer output can, in many cases, be primarily determined by the spatial variance of the background. The result is a decrease in signal-to-noise ratio for small target detection. In this paper an interferometer is examined as a potential means of suppressing this background variance until the limiting variance imposed by the receiver is more nearly realized. A bivariate normal distribution in conjunction with three different correlation functions is assumed for the background apparent temperature field. The elements of the interferometer are assumed to possess a very narrow "pencil" power pattern. With relative motion between antenna and background, the audio power density spectrum at the output of the interferometer is exanmned. The background variance suppression achieved by an interferometer is shown to be a function of element spacing, wavelength, correlation distance for the background, range to the background, and form of the correlation function of the background. The result is that a radiometer may be designed which is receiver-limited rather than background-limited.     

卫星光通信APT控制系统H∞设计

 捕获瞄准跟踪(APT)控制系统的设计是影响整个星间光通信系统性能的重要因素。利用指向偏差的概率分布阐述了卫星光通信过程中捕获概率、跟踪误差及误码率受卫星平台振动和终端装置参数摄动的影响,通过功率谱分析了卫星平台振动在低频段、对象不确定性在高频段对指向偏差的影响,并对其进行了模型化分析。采用H_∞控制混合灵敏度设计方法同时抑制干扰和处理受控对象不确定性问题进行控制器设计。仿真验证表明该方法得到的控制器对平台干扰具有抑制力,对对象摄动具有鲁棒性。     

Optimization of Coverage Pattern for Regional Communications Satellite

An optimization problem of an antenna coverage pattern for a regional communications satellite when an antenna-pointing error exists is discussed. A new performance measure is introduced to evaluate the coverage pattern. This measure is defined as the statistical mean of the ratio between two areas, the full service area and the part of it covered by the antenna. The optimum coverage pattern which maximizes this measure under certain constraint is obtained. The results of numerical calculations are included to demonstrate the technique.     

Harmonic Radar Systems for Near-Ground In-Foliage Nonlinear Scatterers

The radar transmission equation for a harmonic radar operating over a planar, finite dielectric Earth through foliage is derived for an interesting class of nonlinear scatterers. The received power can typically depend on range to the (-14) power for small objects near the ground. The maximum detection range of a ground-based system is related to all major system parameters: it is most sensitive to polarization, transmit antenna height, and transmit wavelength; moderately sensitive to transmit power and transmit antenna area; and least sensitive to receive antenna area, harmonic scattering cross section, and mode of data processing. For example, there is seen to be a best apportionment of total available aperture area into disjoint transmit and receive apertures which can be well approximated by the equal gain condition. Also, there is seen to be a critical path distance through foliage; at distances less than this, small wavelengths are desirable and, conversely, the upper transmit frequency limit may be set by nonlinear scatterer response. Airborne synthetic aperture radar systems are discussed and quantification of harmonic noise and effects of scatterer fluctuation are made. A useful phenomenological model of a nonlinear scatterer is given that is consistent with some observations and predicts a frequency dependence. Nonlinear scatterer effects on range resolution are discussed.     

TDRSS中用户星的星-星天线跟踪规律深入研究

应用坐标转换，得到用户星的星-星天线基本跟踪规律。针对几种情况，并考虑地球的隔断影响和天线的自身限制，对星一星天线的方位角和俯仰角表达式进行了修正和补充。最后，针对某用户星，应用Matlab进行数学仿真。结果表明，根据得出的跟踪规律，可以使用户星的星一星天线最大范围地跟踪中继卫星。     

Nontracking antenna performance for inertially controlled spacecraft using TDRSS

A series of tests to validate an antenna pointing concept for spin-stabilized satellites using a data relay satellite is described. These tests show that proper antenna pointing on an inertially stabilized spacecraft can lead to significant access time through the relay satellite even without active antenna pointing. We summarize the test results, the simulations to model the effects of antenna pattern and space loss, and the expected contact times. We also show how antenna beam width affects the results.     

A (design-oriented) reliability model for active phased arrays insatellite communication systems

This paper proposes a modeling approach to relate the power section reliability of satellite payloads to the on-board antenna complexity. The aim of the model is to support the development of design tools for satellite systems adopting active phased arrays. The achieved results are rendered parametric with respect to a key system requirement, the effective isotropic radiated power, due to its direct impact on transmitter configuration and technological features as well as on the critical compromise between transmitter and antenna specifications     

Experiments on aeronautical satellite communications using ETS-Vsatellite

The world's first aeronautical satellite communication experiments, conducted at L-band frequencies using a commercial aircraft, are described. An airborne antenna with electronically steerable beam and communication equipment was installed in a B-747F freighter flying over transoceanic flight routes. The satellite used in these experiments is the Engineering Test Satellite-Five (ETS-V). During the test period, various experiments, such as antenna pattern measurements, transmission performances, and voice quality evaluation were conducted. As the airborne antenna is the key component for the aeronautical satellite communication system, emphasis has been placed on antenna characteristics. Its performance is found to be closely related to the fading characteristics in low-elevation areas and to transmission error performance     

Spaceborne GPS receiver antenna phase center offset and variation estimation for the Shiyan 3 satellite

In determining the orbits of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites using spaceborne GPS, the errors caused by receiver antenna phase center offset (PCO) and phase center variations (PCVs) are gradually becoming a major limiting factor for continued improvements to accuracy. Shiyan 3, a small satellite mission for space technology experimentation and climate exploration, was developed by China and launched on November 5, 2008. The dual-frequency GPS receiver payload delivers 1 Hz data and provides the basis for precise orbit determination within the range of a few centime-ters. The antenna PCO and PCV error characteristics and the principles influencing orbit determi-nation are analyzed. The feasibility of PCO and PCV estimation and compensation in different directions is demonstrated through simulation and in-flight tests. The values of receiver antenna PCO and PCVs for Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and Shiyan 3 satellites are estimated from one month of data. A large and stable antenna PCO error, reaching up to 10.34 cm in the z-direction, is found with the Shiyan 3 satellite. The PCVs on the Shiyan 3 satellite are estimated and reach up to 3.0 cm, which is slightly larger than that of GRACE satellites. Orbit validation clearly improved with independent k-band ranging (KBR) and satellite laser ranging (SLR) measurements. For GRACE satellites, the average root mean square (RMS) of KBR resid-uals improved from 1.01 cm to 0.88 cm. For the Shiyan 3 satellite, the average RMS of SLR resid-uals improved from 4.95 cm to 4.06 cm.     

Predicting the visibility of LEO satellites

We present a simple algorithm to determine the visibility-time function of a circular low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite at a terminal on the Earth's surface. The simplicity of the algorithm is based on approximating the ground trace of the satellite (which is not a great circle due to Earth's rotation) during a time interval of the order of in-view period, by a great-circle are. This enables us to use spherical geometry to compute the location and time epoch of the observation of the closest approach of the satellite's ground trace to the terminal. This is also the epoch of the observation of the maximum elevation angle from the terminal to the satellite. Applying a result derived relating the maximum elevation angle to the in-view period, we obtain the visibility-time function of the satellite at the terminal. Numerical results illustrate the accuracy of the algorithm for a wide range of LEO orbit altitudes     

宽波束赋形天线星地测试技术分析与改进

为满足风云三号 G星长寿命、高可靠、业务化的工作要求,星上数传天线采用通信性能好、覆盖率高的宽波束赋形设计。但宽波束赋形天线测试技术相对复杂,对测试质量有潜在影响。文章重点阐述了风云三号 G星数传天线设计方案的必要性,建立星地链路余量分析,对星载数传天线的仿真和试验结果比对进行分析,验证了天线方向图测试结果的有效性,并对星载天线和地面系统的测试技术提出改进,提高了测试结果的准确性和完整性。相应技术的改进可以为平台方案相近的空间辐射测量基准卫星平台系统综合试验验证技术提供支撑。     

月球卫星精密定轨

随着空间应用需求的日益增大,深空探测已成为现实,而月球显然是人类走向深空的首选目标。发射月球探测器通常分3个阶段,其运动状态分别对应3种不同类型的轨道:近地停泊轨道、地月转移轨道和绕月轨道。月球是1个慢自转天体且无大气,就轨道解而言这些因素导致环月卫星的运动与地球卫星有所差别。本文针对月球探测任务的特点,从月球与地球的差别入手,在仔细分析月球卫星的受力状况前提下,着重阐述月球探测器在环月段精密定轨的方法原理和具体实现过程。     

Clutter Spectra of Low PRF AMTI Pulse-Doppler Radar

Approximate expressions are derived for the video clutter spectra in the receiver of a low pulse repetition frequency (PRF), airborne moving target indicator (AMTI), pulse-Doppler radar for both step-scanning and continuous-scanning antennas. The receiver is assumed to process the received waveform with a clutter-tracking oscillator and a window function is employed to obtain short-term spectra. Except for the broadening effects of the window function, it is shown that the clutter spectrum can be simply related to the antenna voltage-gain pattern. It is further shown, in the scanning antenna case, that the combined spectral broadening due to platform motion and antenna scanning cannot be assumed to be the result of the convolution of the separate effects unless the antenna gain pattern has a Gaussian shape. The approximate clutter expressions are illustrated by examples and are shown to agree well with the results of computer calculations.