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KERAMIS-Geo is an R&D project funded by the German Space Agency DLR which aims at the development and verification of RF equipment for satellite communications in Ka-band. The basic and innovative technology development is based on LTCC (Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic) modules with versatile RF functionality, robustness and hermetically sealed in...
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... GHz is needed. This essential component of the satellite system can be built using an integrated concept of different multilayer technologies, such as LTCC, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and RF4 [13], [14]. This basic but innovative technological development is based on LTCC modules with versatile RF functionality, robustness, and hermetically sealed MMIC integration. ...
The last years, the demand on satellite communication was undergoing large changes, as a consequence, its technologies and the system design are also changing heavily. Since the introduction of high definition (HD) television, classical geostationary (GEO) satellites in an orbit at 36,800 km height need to transmit higher data rates. Also, GEO satellites are more and more used for global data transfer, e.g. for internet applications and business communication. As a consequence higher frequency bandwidth, higher transmitting frequencies in the millimeter wave range and an efficient frequency reuse are needed.
Parallel to this development, satellite constellations in a low earth orbit (LEO, flight height between 700 km and 1500 km) with a high number of satellites (600 to 4000) are discussed to establish a global internet and a global mobile communication system which, besides the classical internet applications, can be used for many other applications as e.g. the Internet of Things (IoT) or even Car-to-Car communication . The set up of such satellite systems needs a disruptive change of technology with reduced satellite volume and mass as well as reduced production time and cost. Still available waveguide technologies must be replaced by 3D-multilayer light weight technologies with an intelligent combination of various carrier materials to meet the requirements of these new Systems.
Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic (LTCC) is a multilayer dielectric integration and packaging technology for the production of multilayer circuits with up to 40 layers on the basis of sintered ceramic carriers . It is a technology well suited to fulfill the requirements for a new satellite technology. This is shown in this paper.
Conventional communications satellites operate with fixed frequency, polarisation and coverage plans that are drawn up years before their launch during the payload definition phase. The satellite will typically be designed for a lifetime of more than fifteen years. During this operating period, changes in bandwidth requirements and the distribution of the service across its geographic coverage are more than likely. A new generation of communication satellites is expected to respond flexibly to these regional and temporal fluctuations in demand. The concept of cellular division of the coverage area and the coverage of these cells with spot beams in connection with the reuse of frequency bands enables this flexibility. The satellite's frequency plan has to be redefined throughout the mission lifetime via commands from the ground. The Flexible Down-Converter DOCON is one of the new components that allow satellite signals to be redistributed between service areas to flexibly reallocate the most critical spectrum resources as needed. DOCON is a flexible Ka-band down-converter from RF = 27.5 ... 30.0 GHz to IF = 17.7 ... 20.2 GHz designed for GEO communication satellites. The device includes the housing, DC-, RF-, and telemetry / tele-command interfaces. An Engineering Model (EM) in form, fit and function was successfully built and tested. The next stage, the Engineering Qualification Model (EQM), is currently in fabrication and will be qualified until end of 2019. The modular concept comprises hermetically sealed LTCC microwave modules as key building blocks. There are three of these LTCC-modules: the Local Oscillator Module (LOM), the Mixer Module (MXM), and the Variable Gain Module (VGM). Their function and realization shall be discussed in this paper.
