High frequency numerical modelling using measured sources

SatSIM has proved an efficient extension to the fast measurement capabilities of the SATIMO family of antenna measurements systems. The SatSIM code provides a user-friendly and economical way to accurately evaluate the behaviour of an antenna in its final operational environment based on near field measurements of the isolated real antenna and numerical modelling of the environment. In this paper, the SatSIM algorithm has been tested and validated using small source antennas in different positions on a scaled model of a complete satellite including solar panels and reflectors. Although the development and validation of the algorithm has been performed under an ESA contract specifically for accommodation analyses of spacecraft antennas, the powerful combination of antenna testing and simulation in a single environment also has strong potentials in other related fields