PAGE CONTENTS
Objectives
The objective of the project is to develop and qualify an assembly of multiple C to Q band converters intended for Very High Throughput Satellite communication payloads employing digital transparent processors for maximum traffic allocation flexibility. The equipment translates a C band output (3 GHz bandwidth) of the processor DACs to a Q band downlink frequency towards the gateways, with a compact and modular unit that must meet very challenging mass and cost targets.
Challenges
The equipment will be conceived with the best possible compromise between conflicting requirements of compactness and modularity/flexibility, and with a wide operating bandwidth in order to be reused with minimal adaptations in multiple programs
Main challenges are:
- Wide operating band: 3 GHz in C & Q band with particular attention to
- Output Return Loss in coaxial output at Q band without isolator
- Very demanding filtering requirement in C band
- Wide-band sub-harmonic mixer
- To include 4 Q band RF chains in parallel in one unique hybrid module
- Compactness of the unit: 252 x 195 x 150 mm
- Management of the reliability of the unit which includes several centralised functions for the 24 RF chains
System Architecture
The unit is an assembly which includes 24 RF C/Q UpConverter chains.
The unit is composed of two sections:
- CPSFGU section
- RF Upconverter section
CPSFGU section
This centralized section, which, at top level provides secondary voltages and LO signals to all the 24 RF up-converter chains is composed of two identical modules: main and redundant one
RF Up-converter section
This section is composed of three modules
Each of the three modules includes:
- One LO distribution circuit
- Two RF Up-converter hybrid modules with 4 RF chains inside each hybrid module
The block diagram and a drawing of the unit are reported in the below figures
Plan
The Project was carried out in two phases:
- Technological phase, in which a preliminary design of the unit was delivered and a production phase leading to the production of an engineering qualification model (EQM) of the unit. The first phase lasted 7 months and ended in August 2020 with the TRB of the engineering models of the main components of the unit;
- Production phase, lasted 9 months and ended with the TRB of the EQM and final review in May 2021.
Current Status
Production, assembly, integration and testing of the EQM model of the CQ CONVERTER was completed.
The Project is currently being closed with the following activities:
- presentation of the EQM test report;
- Final Report.
