Ka-Band Satellite Propagation Experiment at the Guiana Space Centre

• Published in: IEEE transactions on antennas and propagation Vol. 70; no. 11; p. 1
• Main Authors: L'Hour, C.A., Monvoisin, J.P., Boulanger, X., Castanet, L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01.11.2022; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE); Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: Amazonas 3; Attenuation; Attenuation measurement; Data processing; Engineering Sciences; Extremely high frequencies; Fade Duration; Fade Slope; French Guiana; French space program; Ka-band; Physics; Propagation; Rain; Rain Attenuation; Rain gauges; Rainfall; Rainfall Rate; Recommender systems; Satellite Communications; Satellites; Space vehicles; Statistical analysis; Time series analysis; Amazonas 3; Satellite Communications; French Guiana; Propagation; Rain Attenuation; Fade Duration; Fade Slope; Ka-band; Rainfall Rate
• ISSN: 0018-926X; 1558-2221
• DOI: 10.1109/TAP.2022.3209267

From January 2017 to December 2021, ONERA and CNES operated a beacon receiver able to record the 20.1995 GHz beacon signal of the AMAZONAS 3 satellite at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana. A rain gauge was also deployed on site to collect rainfall rate measurements concurrently to beacon data. All years of the experiment, except 2019, had excellent data availability, hence giving four full years of data (2017, 2018, 2020, and 2021). Firstly, the climatic characteristics of French Guiana are shown. Secondly, the propagation experiment and the data processing methodology are described. Thirdly, the results of the statistical analysis are highlighted and commented. Comparison are performed with the prediction methods of Recommendation ITU-R P.837-7 (rainfall rate), Recommendation ITU-R P.618-13 (rain attenuation), Recommendation ITU-R P.678-3 (variability of propagation phenomena) and Recommendation ITU-R P.1623-1 (fade dynamics).