Intern in the Electrical Department

Our team and mission

The Electrical Department is responsible for executing activities in the following domains: electromagnetics, antenna systems, space environment, power system, data handling for payloads and platforms, computers and microelectronics, communications and navigation payloads and end-to-end systems. The Department manages the corresponding technical laboratories and facilities, elaborates Engineering Standards and is responsible for technology activities for the technical discipline areas of the Department.

The HERTZ 2.0 facility will be a new laboratory designed to perform real-time high accuracy radiated end to end RF payload and antenna testing in a broad frequency range, aiming at state-of-the art operation down to 1.0 GHz in compact range mode. 

The facility will be located at ESA/ESTEC, in Noordwijk, The Netherlands, in the northwest side of the ESTEC campus and is currently under construction.

For further information visit our web site: http://www.esa.int

Field(s) of activity for the internship

You can choose between the following topics:

1) Topic 1: Compact Range Performance Evaluation at Mm-wave Frequencies

As part of the development of the HERTZ 2.0 Compact Range Reflector Optics, the electromagnetic model of the compact range is available to ESA for performance evaluation and design of additional elements when required. This opportunity for internship will allow you to develop skills in handling the industry standard reflector EM modeling tool, TICRA Tools / GRASP and perform design and simulation work using one of the most advanced compact ranges ever designed.

2) Topic 2: Antenna Measurement Uncertainties for Spherical Nearfield Measurements

Antenna measurements can be carried out at ESA-ESTEC in different facilities. Inside these facilities, two measurement methods can be used: antenna compact test range or spherical nearfield measurements. Using spherical nearfield measurements, the antenna to be tested will be placed very close to a known antenna and rotated inside a sphere to be measured. This method is the most accurate method that we can use to measure an antenna nowadays. As the requirements for the accuracy of space hardware are always more challenging as the accuracy on the measurements should be the highest possible, this internship will offer an introduction in antenna measurements and an overview in the calculation of measurement uncertainty budgets. 

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3) Topic 3: Slotted waveguide antennas with compensated frequency beam scanning

Slotted waveguide antenna arrays are used in several applications including Navigation, Earth Observation, Telecommunications. They are simple to fabricate, have low-loss (high antenna efficiency) and radiate linear or circular polarization with low cross-polarization. These antennas are also used on board terminals (aircrafts, trains, ships, etc.) because they can be made to conform to a curved surface. The main limitations of this type of antennas are related to their reduced fractional bandwidth (typically around 8-10 %) and the frequency scanning of the main beam.

          
During this Internship in the Antenna and Sub-Millimeter Wave Section, the candidate will investigate possible solutions to compensate the frequency beam scanning in slotted waveguide antennas. Preliminary investigations done internally at ESA and some recent papers have been shown that: a) acting on the feeding system or b) adding an external screen with the same periodicity present in the slotted waveguides, the frequency beam scanning can be compensated and corrected. By losing a limited percentage of gain and slightly enlarging the antenna beamwidth, the main beam may remain significantly more stable versus the frequency. 

Slotted waveguide antennas with improved frequency bandwidth could be beneficial in several satellite applications. There is in facts a continuous trend in increasing the relative bandwidth in operational instruments. As an example, for antennas required on board small satellites (including LEO satellites) for Telecom applications, there is the need of active antenna solutions with reduced cost as compared to the solutions proposed for GEO satellites. Slotted waveguide antennas, simple, cheap and low-losses, properly improved could be considered in several emerging applications.

Behavioural competencies

Result Orientation
Operational Efficiency
Fostering Cooperation
Relationship Management
Continuous Improvement
Forward Thinking

Education

You must have student status and be enrolled at university for the entire duration of the internship. You should preferably be in your final or second to last year of a university course at master’s level in a technical or scientific discipline.

Additional requirements

The working languages of the Agency are English and French. A good knowledge of one of these is required. Knowledge of another Member State language would be an asset.

1) Topic 1:

• Knowledge of antennas and electromagnetic simulation tools
• Knowledge on using TICRA Tools /GRASP is an asset

2) Topic 2: 

• Knowledge on free space RF material characterization and material parameter extraction
• Knowledge in quasi-optics and THz TDS is an asset

3) Topic 3:

• Knowledge of antennas and electromagnetic simulation tool