Keysight Launches New Solution for Satellite Communications

SINGAPORE (October 17, 2023) – Keysight Technologies Inc., a global innovation partner launches their cutting-edge phased array antenna control and calibration solution for satellite communications, boosting developers’ ability to rapidly test their designs during early validation processes. The new solution improves signal pointing accuracy while the automated and integrated test system simplifies the process of calibrating phased arrays, bringing down the time consumption of the process from hours or even days to just minutes.

Testing modern satellite networks, which operate at high frequencies and use active phased array antenna systems is a complicated and time-consuming task. The use of Over-the-air (OTA) testing allows for quick and efficient calibration to verify the performance of phased arrays, whose antennas use electronic means to steer beams to precise locations in order to improve overall reliability.

Keysight Technologies Inc. meets this need with a flexible measurement solution which improves pointing accuracy and sidelobe rejection to reduce interference effects on phased array antennas by optimising the frequency, gain, and phase response of active antenna array elements.

Among the benefits of the Phased Array Antenna Control and Calibration solution are proprietary phased array calibration algorithms, which enable high-accuracy measurements of gain and phase for a single phased array element; a wide variety of verification tests, which include fast gain and phase calibration, effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP), radiation pattern vs. beam scan angle and modulation distortion, miximising existing test chambers; and is an overall integrated solution that features a user-friendly software interface that controls the components under test.

Gregg Bell, general manager of aerospace and defence RF products, Analog Devices, said: “Phased array is an enabling technology in modern SatCom systems providing critical capability over the parabolic dish. To overcome the potentially longer test times and manufacturing complexity, Keysight offers this rapid test and calibration solution. We are proud to work with a partner that is continuously driving innovation and enabling significant reduction in development and recurring costs for these phased array antenna solutions.”

Meanwhile, Greg Patschke, general manager of Keysight’s Aerospace/Defence and Government Solutions Group, said: “The rapid adoption of phased array antenna technology in commercial and military satellite communications is driving the need for automated testing tools that can quickly and accurately calibrate systems for mission success. The new Keysight Phased Array Antenna Control and Calibration reduces the arduous and lengthy process of calibrating complex, active phased array antennas from hours or days to just a few minutes in a lab setting.”

The Phased Array Antenna Control and Calibration solution is a part of the Keysight Antenna Measurement Toolset, which provides engineers with a comprehensive set of antenna measurement tools, including the option to provide a wide variety of non-signaling antenna measurements such as frequency response, polar or full spherical antenna patterns, and associated post-processing software for 2D and 3D graphical representation.