I was recently involved in the Satcoms Innovation Group (SIG) and Global Satellite Operators Association (GSOA) roundtable at Satellite 2024 and subsequent webinar. The two groups are working together to spearhead an initiative aimed at enabling innovation around flat panel antennas (FPAs) without risking the all-important quality of services. FPAs bring a number of crucial benefits that will be key to enabling the next generation of satcoms. Their lightweight nature, coupled with the ability to allow instantaneous beam steering, makes them ideal for comms-on-the-move, where the position is constantly changing. At the same time, the high reliability and low latency afforded by these antennas will be important both for low Earth orbit (LEO) and multi-orbit environments. However, a number of challenges currently stifling innovation need to be addressed. One thing that is clear is that the industry simply cannot get there without collaboration and QuadSAT looks forward to being an integral part of this joint project.
CURRENT MARKET DYNAMICS
While the satellite industry remains largely focused on parabolic antennas, the number of FPAs have been growing significantly. In a recent webinar, it was stated that there are 196 FPA manufacturers around the globe. This is backed up by a recent report by NSR,1 which states that the FPA market is due to grow significantly over the coming years. While mobility, government and military are the major revenue growth areas, low-cost terminals for broadband have the potential to see a substantial increase in revenues.
Of course, we are already seeing widescale adoption of these systems in operation. There are thousands already in service, especially on airlines and boats, for example. These environments need multiple links to multiple satellites and FPAs are the only way to achieve that, making them not only ideal but, in fact, a necessity.
Despite this, the quality varies greatly between manufacturers and as we see more and more coming into operation. When this challenge is coupled with the staggering growth of satellites in orbit, with some public estimates claiming that 65,000 satellites will be in orbit by the end of this decade, the problem will only grow. At the same time, manufacturers have huge cost pressures on them, with customers expecting low-cost systems. While most manufacturers are ultimately striving to provide the most reliable, lowest cost of ownership system, this can be complex to achieve and even harder to prove due to the lack of regulatory requirements.
At the same time, many non-GEO satellite operators have been making their FPAs, meeting their own very specific requirements. Meanwhile, antenna manufacturers need to design their antennas according to multiple requirements from different operators, none of which are particularly clear right now. This is further complicated by the varied use cases these antennas are being deployed for, each with very different requirements and expectations. As applications increase, this will become more complex.
THE COMPLEX NATURE OF TESTING AND QUALIFYING FPAS
As mentioned above, FPAs are low profile with high reliability, thanks to a lack of mechanical parts, with much lower latency than parabolic antennas. All of this, plus the ability to create multiple beams, is a must for LEO and multi-orbit environments. They do have some disadvantages, the main one being that they are typically less efficient, as there is a more lossy RF distribution network. Some of this can be mitigated by having individual elements addressable and the electronics built into the back of them. They also introduce a number of technical challenges that make the operation more complex and complicate testing. For example, as you sweep the antenna pattern off its normal axis, the gain decreases by about cosine of the scan angle. This means that you can lose upwards of 15 dB in gain, as well as increase the beam width, which can cause interference.
These challenges make testing more important than ever. However, this is not as easy as it seems for several key reasons listed below.
Existing Test Methods Do Not Translate to FPAs
Current test facilities are built for dish antennas, with one beam and beam state. FPA is ushering in multi-beam and a dynamic beam state. With FPAs, unlike parabolic antennas, the radiation pattern changes depending on the steering angle. Properly testing how they will perform requires testing of the entire radiation pattern, something that is both complex and time-consuming using traditional testing methods.
With established test facilities, it is often not possible to change the test setup once established, which does not allow the flexibility that is often needed for testing different types of antennas with different specifications. Often, a simulator is used instead. However, it relies on an assumption rather than being able to see the real behavior of the antenna under test. This is a problem, especially when you consider that errors could be easily introduced on specific antennas during the manufacturing process.
Testing Mistakes Produce False Data
Satellite operators and manufacturers alike need to be able to rely on the test data being provided. Without a dedicated testing procedure, it is very difficult to provide the correct performance information to cover every type of application. If the data cannot be trusted, it will simply be ignored. Testing FPAs, therefore, requires a new approach and proof that the performance data is reliable.
There is No Standardized Approach
One of the main things the SIG and GSOA projects aim to address is the need for a standardized approach. The previous Satellite Operators Minimum Antenna Performance (SOMAP) group established a common agreement on performance expectations and data requirements among the major satellite operators. However, it only applies to parabolic antennas. For FPAs, not only is there no agreed-upon common approach, but there are also no guidelines from individual satellite operators. The approach for parabolic antennas cannot simply be translated because of the challenges mentioned above.
Why We Need Standardized Testing
Standardization is extremely important because, without it, we are stifling innovation. Manufacturers need the guidelines because, without them, it is difficult to develop new systems that will be appropriate for the market. Without that innovation, it is harder to push boundaries without knowing the desired outcome. A lack of standards also increases the barrier to entry for newcomers, as it is challenging to understand how they can fit into the market and ensure compatibility. In a world where satcom is facing not only internal competition but also external competition from other technologies, the industry needs to ensure it is not left behind due to its lack of standards.
Due to the lack of guidelines, everyone is working in the dark. With no real guidance on what data needs to be provided, manufacturers often find themselves providing more than necessary. This is not ideal for either party, as the satellite operators have far too much data to trawl through to get the information they need to qualify an antenna. This is making the entire test and qualification process far less efficient than it should be for everyone involved.
How Do We Get There?
Getting to a point where there is a standardized approach for FPAs will require input from across the entire industry. It cannot be solved by one person, company or even group alone. We need to move forward, but once the industry has agreed, we should aim to have any guidelines and/or standards stamped and sealed by regulatory organizations.
That said, it will be a huge undertaking and one that will need to build into milestones with clearly defined roles. Antenna manufacturers, for example, have a role to play in suggesting and outlining performance metrics they believe should be provided, as well as highlighting what is and is not realistic to achieve. Testing solutions and service providers, such as QuadSAT, need to suggest new approaches to testing FPAs that better address their complex nature. QuadSAT has done a number of test scenarios using their drone technology that are better able to give a more holistic view of the antenna under test.
Of course, there may be other solutions. If we jointly suggest possible approaches, this can be encapsulated in the guidelines to ensure the right approach is used for the right type of antenna and application. Of course, satellite operators are an extremely important part of this puzzle, as they will ultimately need to define and approve any suggested procedures, approaches and performance metrics that will work for their networks.
References
- B. Schneiderman, “Flat Panel Antennas Market,” Satellite Markets & Research, April 5, 2024, Web: satellitemarkets.com/market-trends/flat-panel-antennas-market.