Spaceborne Multibeam Phased Array Antennas for Satellite Communications

Multibeam phased array antenna is one of the core payloads of the satellite communication system, which has the potential to realize the transformation of the satellite communication system from application-adapted satellite to satellite-adapted application. This article provides a brief overview of the beamforming technologies used in spaceborne multibeam phased array antennas from three perspectives: analog beamforming, digital beamforming, and optical beamforming. The application status of multibeam phased array antennas in satellite communication is then classified and explained. Finally, the development trend of spaceborne multibeam phased array antenna is analyzed.