Array-fed reconfigurable reflector for spacecraft systems

Author

Clarricoats, P.J.B. ; Monk, A.D. ; Zhou, Huimin

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electron. Eng., Queen Mary & Westfield Coll., London

Volume

30

Issue

8

fYear

1994

fDate

4/14/1994 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

613

Lastpage

614

Abstract

The authors describe a new type of reconfigurable reflector antenna for spacecraft applications in which both the reflector shape and the excitation of a small array feed combine to offer maximum coverage flexibility. To create a reconfigurable continental coverage the array is excited to produce a suitably tapered circularly symmetric pattern and the shape of the mesh reflector adjusted to yield the appropriate secondary radiation pattern. When spot beams are required within the coverage region, the mesh reflector is configured as a paraboloid and individual elements or local clusters excited within the array

Keywords

antenna feeders; antenna radiation patterns; microwave antenna arrays; reflector antennas; satellite antennas; 10 GHz; European beam; QMW compact antenna test range; local clusters; maximum coverage flexibility; mesh reflector shape adjustment; paraboloid configuration; reconfigurable reflector antenna; reflector shape; secondary radiation pattern; small array feed excitation; space qualified low mass actuators; spacecraft systems; spot beams; tapered circularly symmetric pattern;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electronics Letters

Publisher

iet

ISSN

0013-5194

Type

jour

DOI

10.1049/el:19940456

Filename

280637