Maskara: Multiple Apertures for high resolution SAR based on KA band Reflectarray

MASKARA, Multiple apertures for high resolution SAR based on Ka band reflectarray, is a project currently being developed within ESA contract No. 4000126144/18/NL/AF.

Airbus Defence and Space SAU Madrid, is the prime contractor for the project and the industrial consortium includes Airbus Defence and Space Ltd Portsmouth and TICRA. Airbus DS Madrid is in charge of the mission, the thermomechanical design and analysis, the manufacturing and testing of a RF Breadboard model (BBM). SAR and mission requirements, as well as thermomechanical support is carried out by Airbus DS Portsmouth. TICRA is leading the reflectarray RF design and analysis.

Based on multiple apertures concept, the purpose of MASKARA is to design a Ka band system operating at 35.75 GHz that will procure Along Track Interferometry (ATI) and Ground Moving Target Indication (GMTI) for a SAR instrument. As alternative for previous studies based on reflectors, MASKARA will consist on nine apertures and must be compatible with Vega-C launch conditions. Each of the nine apertures will have a dimension of ca. 1.5 m x 0.55 m in order to cope with both pattern and mechanical requirements and constrains.

This paper summarise the current status of the project, the selected solutions as well as the next project steps including the BBM concept. Table 1 summarises the main antenna pattern requirements and their summary performances at MASKARA CSR.

Publication: ARSI-KEO

Place: ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands