The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) is scheduled to blast off for
a journey of nearly 800 million kilometers to Jupiter in 2022. But before the launch
can take place, the space probe's radar antennas have to be flight tested. Rohde &
Schwarz provided two R&S ESR EMI test receivers to support this test.
 Munich, December 04, 2017 — Led by Airbus, JUICE
is a European Space Agency (ESA) deep space mission to study the icy moons of Jupiter.
The objectives are to explore the atmosphere and magnetosphere of the moons and investigate
whether there are liquid oceans suitable for habitation under the thick icy crusts of
moon Ganymede.
The radar for icy moons exploration (RIME) antenna will play a key role in the expedition.
It is designed for the frequency range from 7.5 MHz to 10.5 MHz. This low frequency is
needed to penetrate the surface of Jupiter's moons up to nine kilometers deep. The RIME
antenna was recently subjected to a series of tests to verify its simulation data and
measure its radiation pattern under conditions similar to those on board the probe.
Rohde & Schwarz provided two
R&S ESR EMI test receivers to measure the antenna's radiation
pattern during these tests. Uwe Körber of the Test and Measurement Division's sales team
at Rohde & Schwarz explains, "When we analyzed the measurement task, it quickly became
clear that a basic spectrum analyzer wouldn't deliver the required performance and we
needed to bring in a realtime spectrum analyzer. Due to the unknown environmental conditions
of the measurements, we decided to use two R&S ESR analyzers BECAUSE they have an
additional preselection feature."
 The tests were carried out at an airfield near the Airbus facility in Friedrichshafen,
Germany, where the test crew assessed the RIME instrument's 16.6 m antenna in various
flight configurations. A helicopter lifted a mock up of the space probe up to 320 meters
in the air. The mock-up housed the transmitter, while the two test receivers, each with
an RF receive antenna, remained on the ground. The helicopter flew the mock up around
the two receiving stations to collect the data needed to calculate the antenna's radiation
pattern. Rohde & Schwarz provided the ESA with the measured raw data.
Rohde & Schwarz
The Rohde & Schwarz technology group develops, produces and markets innovative
information and communications technology products for professional users. Rohde &
Schwarz focuses on test and measurement, broadcast and media, cybersecurity, secure communications
and monitoring and network testing, areas that address many different industry and government-sector
market segments. Founded more than 80 years ago, the independent company has an extensive
sales and service network in more than 70 countries. On June 30, 2017, Rohde & Schwarz
had approximately 10,500 employees. The group achieved a net revenue of approximately
EUR 1.9 billion in the 2016/2017 fiscal year (July to June). The company is headquartered
in Munich, Germany, and also has regional hubs in Asia and the USA.
R&S ® is a registered trademark of Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG.
Contacts
Rohde & Schwarz USA, Inc. 6821 Benjamin Franklin Dr. Columbia, MD 21046
+1-888-837-8772
Europe, Africa, Middle East +49 89 4129 12345
customersupport@rohde-schwarz.com
North America +1 888 837 8772
customer.support@rsa.rohde-schwarz.com
Latin America +1 410 910 79 88
customersupport.la@rohde-schwarz.com
Asia Pacific +65 65 13 04 88
customersupport.asia@rohde-schwarz.com
China +86 800 810 8228 or +86 400 650 5896
customersupport.china@rohde-schwarz.com
Posted December 4, 2017
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