Offering flexibility, scalability and cost-effectiveness, the modular approach to test and measurement equipment is among the top trends in the industry. When users can customize and reconfigure setups according to their specific testing requirements and adapt to changing test scenarios through instrument upgrades, the need for multiple stand-alone instruments is eliminated and capital expenditures can be reduced.
These trends are exemplified by a pair of recent aerospace and satellite system product announcements that range in scope from microwave spectrum analysis to the design of vehicle power management systems.
A new microwave spectrum monitor that can be integrated into any platform module is one example of the trend toward modular design. Source: Anritsu Corporation One example is Anritsu Corporation’s new MS27200A microwave spectrum monitor module. Designed to be part of a larger system, the module can be integrated into any platform requiring interference or coverage mapping. Because it is self-contained, there is no need to integrate an additional PC into the system; in addition, its use of Standard Commands for Programmable Instruments (SCPI) for system control precludes the need for additional software.
The MS27200A offers frequency coverage from 9 kHz to 54 GHz with onboard processing. It also features 110 MHz real-time spectrum analysis (RTSA) bandwidth with a DANL of -164 dBm (with preamp), making it capable of receiving faint and intermittent signals. For future analysis, it also can capture and stream IQ signal components of unknown signals in full 32-bit and at 110 MHz bandwidth without the need to combine or stitch IQ data.
Another example is an expansion to Keysight’s MP4300A series modular solar array simulator (SAS), which Electronics360 first reported on in late 2022. The six-channel modular platform can emulate the behavior of photovoltaic (PV) segments and simulate the conditions a craft or satellite will encounter in space with high fidelity — something particularly important for solar-powered spacecraft and satellites, where deployment is costly and there is little opportunity for retrieval and maintenance.
Now, Keysight has rolled out new models to deliver total power up to 8.4 kW in a 2U footprint: the MP4351A auto-ranging module delivers 1.4 kW 160 V/10 A power, while the MP4352A auto-ranging model provides 1.4 kW 80 V/20 A. Two new mainframe modules of up to 10 kW also have been introduced to accommodate the increased power of the new modules. According to a press release, the increased power capabilities and fast current-voltage curve changes with quick recovery times improve the simulation of conditions spacecraft and satellites experience in space.
These two announcements, of course, represent just a small reflection of a much larger trend in test and measurement equipment. It’s safe to say that for more, one just needs to stay tuned.
