Optimizing a corrugated horn for telecommunication and tracking missions using a new flexible horn design software

A new design approach and an associated software tool for conical corrugated horn antennas has been developed in a joint TICRA-Thales Alenia Space-ESA project. The software is developed such that it supports the user in designing an optimized horn antenna in a natural way with stepwise refinements both in geometry, in optimization parameters selection and in design requirements definition. The techniques presented have been validated on a case where a highly optimized horn has been designed, manufactured and measured.