Speaker
Description
The proposed activity aims at bringing to TRL 5 an X-band medium-to-high gain antenna system based on the modulated MTS concept. This concept has been the subject of a number of projects financed by the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency, which have demonstrated up to TRL 4 the unique flexibility of MTS antennas in the choice of radiation pattern and polarization using the same overall structure. This is a fundamental property for a number of space applications, including data transmission for Earth observation missions and telemetry and tele-command links for near-Earth and deep-space science and exploration missions. In fact, it allows one to reduce antenna costs, while ensuring the best fit to mission requirements.
The activity involved the design, development and testing, up to TRL 5, of the antenna system. Two baseline sets of requirements were specifically addressed in the design phase:
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Tx-Rx spot beam antenna system for asteroid exploration mission;
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Tx-only isoflux beam antenna for data transmission from LEO.
The work comprised electrical design optimization, mechanical and thermal design as well as the handling of technological issues for the two solutions. This activity concluded with the fabrication and testing to TRL 5 of the E(Q)M of the isoflux beam antenna.
| ESA Technical Officer | Marco Sabbadini |
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