Title :
K- and KA-band satellite-tracking, small reflector vehicular antenna system for mobile satellite service
Author :
Densmore, A. ; Jamnejad, V.
Author_Institution :
Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Technol., Pasadena, CA, USA
Abstract :
The authors describe the development of the K- and Ka-band mobile-vehicular satellite-tracking reflector antenna system for NASA´s ACTS Mobile Terminal (AMT) task. ACTS is NASA´s Advanced Communications Technology Satellite. The US Space Shuttle will launch ACTS into its geostationary orbit in 1993 at 100 deg West longitude, above the mid-Western US. The AMT antenna system consists of a mechanically steered small reflector antenna, with a shared aperture for both K and Ka frequency bands and fitting under a radome of 23 cm diameter and 10 cm height, and a microprocessor-controlled that keeps the antenna pointed toward the satellite as the vehicle moves about. The RF and mechanical characteristics of the antenna and the antenna tracking control system are discussed. Measurements of the antenna performance are presented
Keywords :
microwave antennas; mobile antennas; mobile radio systems; reflector antennas; satellite antennas; satellite ground stations; tracking systems; Advanced Communications Technology Satellite; K band; Ka band; NASA; RF characteristics; mechanical characteristics; mechanically steered small reflector antenna; microprocessor-controlled; mobile satellite service; radome; satellite-tracking; shared aperture; small reflector vehicular antenna system;
Conference_Titel :
Satellite Communications - ECSC-3, 1993., 3rd European Conference on
Conference_Location :
Manchester
Print_ISBN :
0-85296-603-2
