Transforming Arctic observation: The SmallSat advantage with advanced antenna modelling
On Friday, August 16, 2024, the Arctic Weather Satellite (AWS) was successfully launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
AWS is a new and small Earth observation satellite that has been developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) in just three years, which is substantially faster than the typical development time for similar Earth observation satellites.
The satellite carries a cross-track scanning microwave radiometer, operating in several frequency bands from 50 GHz to 325 GHz, which, according to ESA, will “yield high-resolution vertical profiles of atmospheric temperature and humidity in all weather conditions”.
OHB Sweden has led the AWS industrial consortium for ESA, while Omnisys Sweden has been prime contractor for the microwave radiometer. Due to the small size of the satellite, a highly compact and optimised antenna optics of the radiometer was required. The design of the radiometer optics was developed and validated by the University of Bern.
Roland Albers and colleagues from the University of Bern used TICRA’s GRASP tool for preliminary modelling of the radiometer reflector system. That model was later extended to a full model of the radiometer and satellite platform using TICRA’s ESTEAM tool, where the efficient Method of Moments (MoM) and Multi-Level Fast Multipole Method (MLFMM) algorithms allowed for unprecedented simulation accuracy for spillover analysis and main beam characterisation at very high frequencies in a fast turnaround time. The characterisation and spillover analysis will be used for calibrating the instrument and for correction of processed data.
One key finding of the advanced modelling was the definitive proof of the necessity for increasing the absorbers on the optics frame as well as alterations to the overall structure to minimise scattering. Furthermore, the on-board calibration target, composed of multilayers of absorption material, was also successfully implemented into the ESTEAM model.
Additional background on the modelling of the AWS radiometer antenna can be found in this paper.
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