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Compact Ranges generate within a few tens of meters ideal far-field conditions. This is achieved by using reflectors, which generate a parallel and time coherent electromagnetic wave front within a defined test volume, also called Quiet Zone. By this fact the measured pattern of an antenna under test fully comply to far-field conditions and with advanced systems also real-time measurements can be performed without any post-processing to achieve an acceptable measurement performance.

On the market different compact range reflector concepts are available, such as:

• Single reflector compact ranges with a single curved reflector contour requiring post-processing to achieve far-field conditions and tolerable measurement performances
• Single reflector compact ranges with double curved reflector contours, allowing real-time measurements at moderate measurement accuracy and when cross-polar purity is not a hard requirement – concept implemented into EADS Astrium Single Reflector Compact Ranges (SCRs)
• Double reflector compact ranges with single curved reflector contours, allowing real-time measurements at acceptable measurement accuracy and when cross-polar purity is not a hard requirement
• Double reflector compact ranges with double curved reflector contours, allowing real-time measurements with high cross-polar purity – concept implemented into EADS Astrium Compensated Compact Ranges (CCRs)

EADS Astrium’s Compact Range concept is based on a unique so called side-fed or horizontal offset illuminator system, which has in comparison to floor-fed concepts, four outstanding advantages:

• Realization of much longer focal lengths, resulting in significant better Quiet Zone performances
• Generation of large elliptical horizontal Quiet Zone shapes, allowing tests of measurement objects with large widths like satellites with large side deployable antennas, aircrafts, missiles, etc.
• Realization of virtually extended Quiet Zones by using two laterally displaced feeds.
• Realisation of a low frequency far-field range for small objects by turning the range feed directly to the DUT

Beside design considerations about the illuminator geometries many other design parameters also determine the quality of a Quiet Zone, such as:

• Focal length of the reflector contour
• Serration design
• Management of stray signals
• Surface accuracy of reflectors
• Mechanical and thermal stability of the reflectors
• Alignment of reflectors and feed
• Feed performance
• Range absorber layout
• Positioner accuracies
• etc.

The EADS Astrium compact test ranges are designed to meet the demanding requirements driven by future test applications in the fast developing field of microwave technologies. Common for the CCR and SCR product types are the relatively large focal length and the utilisation for measurements up to 500 GHz.

EADS Astrium‘s Compensated Compact Range (CCR) program represents the world-standard in Antenna Test Facilities for the space industry regarding the testing of frequency reuse performance of satellite transponders due to the unique design and the outstanding quality.

EADS Astrium‘s Single Reflector Compact Range (SCR) program has extremely broadband performance allowing measurement applications from UHF up to quasi-optical frequencies and deliver excellent Radar scattering measurement results.

Therefore, Astrium's Compact Range Program is the number one for the space communication and defence industry when it comes to high precision antenna / payload and RCS testing in the areas of research, development and production.