Description
The objective of this activity is to design, manufacture and test an engineering model of a compact dual travelling wavetube in Ku- or Ka-band for active antenna applications in high throughput satellite payloads.
Targeted Improvements: Enabling travelling wave tube technology for active antenna applications with at least 5% efficiency improvement at 15 dB noise power ratio in comparison to today's TWTs.
Description:
TWTs have demonstrated reliable and much higher efficiency operation than solid state amplifiers in Ku- and Ka-band, but mass, size and placement pitch are a challenge for TWT use in multibeam and active antennas architectures for High Throughput Satellite (HTS) applications.
On the other hand, mass savings of the thermal management system, as well as powersavings in comparison to SSPA -based active antennas, could be achieved if TWTs could be used and placed close to the radiating element. This requires the TWT cross dimensions to be compatible with the antenna array pitch.
In order to meet the high performance and stringent accommodation requirements for HTS applications, a compact dual travelling wave tube will be developed and integrated ona common baseplate allowing reductions in the number of high voltage cables, TWT mass and footprint. The collector and magnetic insulation technologies between collectors will be developed to achieve a mounting pitch in the range of 35 mm maximum, as neededfor a wide range of active antenna applications. Existing five-stage collector technology will be further developed to achieve high efficiency under back-off operation.
A compact dual TWT in Ku- or Ka-band will be designed, developed and tested at breadboard andengineering model level. The testing will include non-linearised and linearised RF performance.
Footnote: On Delegation Request activities will only be initiated on the explicit request of at least one National Delegation.