Near-field measurement facility plans at Lewis Research Center

The direction of future antenna technology will be toward antennas which are large, both physically and electrically, will operate at frequencies up to 60 GHz, and are non-reciprocal and complex, implementing multiple-beam and scanning beam concepts and monolithic semiconductor devices and techniques. The acquisition of accurate antenna performance measurements is a critical part of the advanced antenna research program and represents a substantial antenna measurement technology challenge, considering the special characteristics of future spacecraft communications antennas. Comparison of various antenna testing techniques and their relative advantages and disadvantages shows that the near-field approach is necessary to meet immediate and long-term testing requirements. The LeRC facilities, the 22 ft x 22 ft horizontal antenna boresight planar scanner and the 60 ft x 60 ft vertical antenna boresight plant scanner (with a 60 GHz frequency and D/lamdba = 3000 electrical size capabilities), will meet future program testing requirements.