Title :
A space-fed phase array for surveillance from space
Author :
Hightower, Charles H. ; Wong, Sam H. ; Perkons, Alfred R. ; Igwe, Christian I.
Author_Institution :
Rockwell Int. Corp., Anaheim, CA, USA
Abstract :
A novel space-fed radar antenna called a venetian blind is proposed for all-weather wide area surveillance from space. The antenna can support both tasked and untasked operation. In its untasked form (essentially a space-fed passive lens), it achieves off-axis squint angles of many beamwidths with negligible performance degradation. It is inherently insensitive to mechanical distortion, and is a first step in the evolution to the more complex tasked system antenna. The antenna lens consists of easily manufactured slats with microstrip dipole radiating elements and matching networks on a dielectric substrate. Phase control is achieved with low-loss delay lines in the passive lens or active transmit/receive modules if electronic scan is desired
Keywords :
aerospace instrumentation; antenna phased arrays; dipole antennas; lens antennas; microstrip antennas; microwave antenna arrays; radar antennas; radar systems; active transmit/receive modules; all-weather wide area surveillance; antenna lens; beamwidths; dielectric substrate; electronic scan; low-loss delay lines; matching networks; microstrip dipole radiating elements; off-axis squint angles; phase control; space-fed passive lens; space-fed phase array; space-fed radar antenna; tasked operation; tasked system antenna; untasked operation; untasked system antenna; venetian blind; Degradation; Dielectric substrates; Dipole antennas; Lenses; Manufacturing; Microstrip antennas; Phased arrays; Radar antennas; Spaceborne radar; Surveillance;
Conference_Titel :
Radar Conference, 1991., Proceedings of the 1991 IEEE National
Conference_Location :
Los Angeles, CA
Print_ISBN :
0-87942-629-2
DOI :
10.1109/NRC.1991.114721