Description
Objective: The main objective of this activity is to develop and test a frequency selective surface enabling antenna architectures capable of producing a transmit/receive multiple beam coverage withonly one main reflector aperture.
Targeted Improvements: Reducednumber of antenna apertures required for given telecommunications mission/Enable more complex and flexible antenna beam generation
Description: There is a general trend towards the use of multibeam coverage to increase the satellite systems capacity. State-of-the-art multibeam payloads at Ka-band are based on single-feed-perbeam reflector antennas using three or four apertures to produce all the beams. Multibeam payloads are also being considered down to Ku and C-band. Satellite accommodation restrictions for secondary missions at Ka-band or primary missions at lower frequency bands bring the need for antenna configurations capable of producing all thebeams of a multibeam coverage, but with a reduced number of apertures.
A possible approach is to use a multiple-feed-per-beam (MFB)system that generates the full coverage with two apertures, one operating in transmit and the other one in receive. Recent works onFrequency Selective Surfaces (FSS) have demonstrated the possibility to significantly reduce the ratio between transmitted and reflected bands. This activity shall investigate the combination of Multiple Feed per Beam (MFB) feed systems and an FSS to produce a multibeam coverage with only a single reflector antenna. This activity shall include a trade-off on the antenna geometry as well as ontheFSS technology with a design for manufacturing approach so as to provide RF performance in line with mission needs. Besides more conventional manufacturing techniques, additive manufacturing, pressing and inkjet printing shall also be considered in the trade-offs.
Particular attention shall be given to the mechanical design and manufacturability of the FSS, as well as power handling and spaceenvironment constraints. The possibility to combine the degrees of freedom of both the FSS and the MFB feed systems shall be investigated as means to mitigate beam degradation with pointing angle. An EM of the proposed FSS shall bemanufactured and tested. Performance at antenna level shall be derived from those measurements. The applicability of the selected design and technology to other frequency bands, such as C- and Ku-band, shall also be discussed.
Procurement Policy: C(1) = Activity restricted to non-prime contractors (incl. SMEs). For additional information please go to EMITS news "Industrial Policy measures for non-primes, SMEs and RD entities in ESA programmes".
Tender Specifics