Butler Matrix-Based Feeding Networks for Small Satellites

In this work, the rays of a square antenna array with an beamforming network as Butler matrix were analyzed to cover a service area of 100°. Based on mathematical modeling, the initial results were obtained, and on their basis the requirements to radiation patterns of an individual element and spacing of the antenna array were formed. Antenna modeling based on CAD-simulation was carried out for special cases, which showed good agreement of the results using mathematical analysis. The high reproducibility between the results of mathematical and electrodynamic modeling was shown. It was revealed that the uniform cover of the territory can be ensured when the beamwidth of an individual element in array is approximately equal to the width of the coverage area.