TK has been developing in collaboration with the Institute of Applied Physics in Bern - for a number of years - the calibration target for EUMETSAT's MetOP-SG MWS radiometer. The ProtoFlight Model - (PFM) - the first one due to fly in space - has been undergoing successful final RF testing in Bern. In the pictures you can see the equipment used to make radiometric S11scattering measurements across the microwave sounder's bands - from 23 to 229 GHz. The target - whose temperature can be determined from embedded Platinum Resistance Thermometers to a few milliKelvin- is the black object to the top right. All S11 measurements are with the very tight -45dB monostatic reflectivity requirement - and this is after the target has undergone severe "Shake-and-Bake" validation
|
|
|
Pictured above - Axel Murk and Tobias Plüss on the right, typical S11 measurements on the LHS
MWS is part of an ESA funded programme, with TK's customer being AIRBUS in the UK. The views expressed herein in no way be taken to reflect the opinion of the European Space Agency.