CCE calibration with an array of calibration probes interleaved with the array antenna

An antenna system, comprising:

• an antenna array, comprising:
• a plurality of antenna elements;
• and
• an antenna beamforming system;
• a calibration system adapted to calibrate the antenna array in either a transmit mode or a receive mode, the calibration system comprising:
• a plurality of calibration probes interleaved with the plurality of antenna elements, the calibration probes adapted to be transmit calibration probes or receive calibration probes;
• a calibration tone signal generator adapted to generate a calibration tone, wherein the calibration tone is input to the antenna array when the antenna array is in transmit mode, and wherein the calibration tone is input to the plurality of calibration probes when the antenna array is in the receive mode;
• an encoding signal generator adapted to generate sets of encoding signal values, and wherein the sets of encoding signal values are input to the antenna array, and the antenna array encodes the calibration tone signal traversing the antenna array with the sets of encoding signal values, generating encoded calibration signals;
• and
• a signal decoding and processing system adapted to decode and process the encoded calibration signals to produce calibration data for the antenna array.

A spacecraft including an antenna system, comprising:

• an antenna array, comprising:
• a plurality of antenna elements;
• and
• an antenna beamforming system;
• a calibration system adapted to calibrate the antenna array in either a transmit mode or a receive mode, the calibration system comprising:
• a plurality of calibration probes interleaved with the plurality of antenna elements, the calibration probes adapted to be transmit calibration probes or receive calibration probes;
• a calibration tone signal generator adapted to generate a calibration tone, wherein the calibration tone is input to the antenna array when then antenna array is in transmit mode, and wherein the calibration tone is input to the plurality of calibration probes when the antenna array is in the receive mode;
• an encoding signal generator adapted to generate sets of encoding signal values, and wherein the sets of encoding signal values are input to the antenna array, and the antenna array encodes the calibration tone signal traversing the antenna array with the sets of encoding signal values, generating encoded calibration signals;
• and
• a signal decoding and processing system adapted to decode and process the encoded calibration signals to produce calibration data for the antenna array.