In 1989, the iarge Compensated Compact Range (CCR) at MBB, Ottobrunn, Germany became fully operational (test zone: 5.5 x 5.0 x 6.0 m, frequency range: 2'-200 GHz).Smce that date the characteristics of the range have been extensively tested. The unique performance data of the CCR resulted in two contracts, selling copies of the MBB range.Both facilities, one at Spar Aerospace, Montreal, Canada and the other at Space Systems/Loral, Palo Alto, California, have been acceptance tested in AprilfMay 1991. The facility at SS/L will be mainly used for antenna and payload tests on spacecraft level. A special test feature of the CCR, where the feeds are defocused relative to the reflector optics, has been extensively investigated. The defocused feeds create scanned and tilted plane waves, which realize independent quiet zones separated in frequency and space. This special separation allows multiple quiet zones to be centered around the respective satellite antennas. The high quality of the scanned plane waves allows antenna pattern to be measured on the spacecraft without moving the satellite laterally.The multiple quiet zones make all kinds of link tests possible. The quality of two scanned plane waves has been tested in C-band and will be reported and the resulting possibilities for the payload tests will be discussed.
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