Sp-461 ers-envisat Symposium

Use of Module Stepping

ASAR has a dedicated Module Stepping Mode which is used to gather

data from all 320 T/R modules automatically. The entire procedure takes

less than one second following which the data are downloaded to the

ground for processing. After processing, the results are compared with

the reference data from on-ground tests in order to determine any T/R

module gain or phase drifts, temperature behaviour and any eventual

module failures. Using this information it is possible to implement any

corrections necessary to the T/R module coefficients and re-synthesize

the antenna beam patterns should that be required.