Rethinking antenna development: Can simulations eclipse traditional measurements?

For decades, computer modelling has played an integral role in antenna design and development, providing a powerful platform to predict, optimise, and visualise antenna performance virtually before physical manufacturing.

Even though computational methods have advanced significantly in recent years, antenna measurements have remained a cornerstone of technology development and indispensable to ensure that simulated performance matches real-world conditions. With large investments and credibility at stake, companies and organisations must have absolute confidence in how their hardware will behave, especially in environments such as space where adjustments and repairs are impossible or unfeasibly costly once the hardware is deployed and in operation.

It does raise the interesting question whether computer simulations, in some cases, may be able to replace the time-consuming and costly antenna measurement process

However, as computer processing power and algorithm sophistication continue to grow, it does raise the interesting question whether computer simulations, in some cases, may be able to replace the time-consuming and costly antenna measurement process. NASA has investigated this in one of their projects, as we will get back to.

It is about antenna size and cost

In an increasingly data-focused world, where internet access is ubiquitous and with everyone and everything connected virtually all the time, the importance of satellite services for internet access and Earth observation is growing. In this context, and for some missions and applications, demand for higher bandwidth and higher resolution entails that ever larger and more sophisticated antennas are needed. Naturally, these must undergo thorough verification before going into production to meet strict regulatory and performance requirements, which may be challenging – if not straight up impossible.

With antennas growing larger, the physical size of anechoic chambers means that some antennas simply cannot be measured

Firstly, it is a matter of antenna size. With antennas growing larger, the physical size of anechoic chambers means that some antennas simply cannot be measured. One way around this fundamental problem may be to create and test a scale model instead, where computational models are validated against measurements of the smaller scale model. Another approach is to measure the antenna as an isolated component or on a partial platform, which may give essential insights. In some cases, however, this may not provide the complete picture of installed antenna performance.

Secondly, it is an issue of money. Antenna testing is a hugely expensive process; anechoic chambers are costly to build, maintain, and use, and this phase of the development process routinely consumes a large part of any project’s budget. This has meant that antenna designers and manufacturers have often been restricted to conducting the fewest tests possible, which greatly limits their scope and usefulness, and which may add additional risk into design verification.

Nevertheless, the industry has always relied on and required physical testing for verification of the antenna’s behaviour in real-world scenarios, considering material properties, interference, scattering, potential failure points, and more. Therefore, investments are also being made in still larger and more sophisticated measurement facilities, such as the European Space Agency’s under-construction measurement facility, HERTZ 2.0.

Simulation as a catalyst for innovation

Today, antenna designers and manufacturers must work and deliver under strict budgets and timelines. If simulations can help to accelerate the process and save costs in any way, then they become extremely valuable. In this regard, one of the greatest benefits of simulations is that multiple scenarios can be created quickly and easily, significantly reducing development time and cost, and allowing for as many different tests and investigations as necessary.

One of the greatest benefits of simulations is that multiple scenarios can be created quickly and easily, significantly reducing development time and cost

In addition, computer processing power has increased exponentially in recent years, which is making simulated testing far more accurate, faster, and ultimately cheaper. Designers can now exploit this to build a more accurate and reliable picture of the antenna performance in a dramatically shorter timeframe.

These capabilities are also proving to be a powerful catalyst for innovation as designers can now experiment with new concepts more easily and cost-effectively. Not only is this accelerating product development across the board, but it can help small market players to position themselves more competitively against established companies with greater resources at their disposal.

The required antenna technology is made possible thanks to smart and accurate computer simulation tools

These developments, driven by the use of simulation software, are also helping businesses and organisations to develop new applications with a positive impact on society. From fast internet anywhere on the globe, to collecting climate and weather data, to exploring the universe in scientific missions to collect data about the most fundamental questions, the required antenna technology is made possible thanks to smart and accurate computer simulation tools.

Are we ready to give up physical testing?

A recent example of a project requiring a different approach is NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission for monitoring the effects of climate change, such as helping to improve flood and drought warnings, and understanding changing soil moisture levels. Here, the instrument and its large deployable antenna were not measured physically, due to their large size and the very high cost and long time that such measurements would have required. Instead, a scale model was built and measured in their place.

[Computer simulations] proved to be sufficiently accurate, thus hinting at the possibility that antenna measurements might no longer be necessary when not feasible or cost-effective

The physical measurements of the scale model were supplemented using computer simulations of the actual SMAP instrument in a virtual environment. As presented by NASA at an antenna conference in Paris a couple of years ago, these proved to be sufficiently accurate, thus hinting at the possibility that antenna measurements might no longer be necessary when not feasible or cost-effective.

These engineering findings might have a substantial impact on future antenna technology development. If the idea of replacing antenna measurements, entirely or partially, gains traction, the unprecedented speed, accuracy, and flexibility of today’s simulation tools would enable antenna designers and manufacturers to cut even more time, cost, and complexity from the development process. In an industry where budgets, timelines, and regulations are tightening, this new and more agile approach would provide an enormous competitive advantage.

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