Description
Priority 2 activities will only be initiated on the explicit request of at least one delegation.
Objective:
To investigate Feed Array Architectures for the next generation of multiple feed per beam antenna for broadband missions and design develop and test the associated critical components.
Targeted Improvements:
- Up to 30 to 50% cost and mass reduction with respect to state-of-the-art feeding architectures where a) only one-polarisation may be provided to each beam or b) transmitting and receiving capabilities are obtained with two separated antennas.
- Increase of spot capacity up to 100% for a subset of beams.
Description:
ESA has been supporting in the last years several activities on multiple feed per beam antenna systems. For the next generation of this sub-system additional needs are emerging: a) dual polarization capability for every beam and b) single aperture antenna with transmitting and receiving capabilities.
Multiple spot and contoured beams usually exploit only one polarization per beam. However, recent investigations have shown that the use of dual-polarization per beam may bring considerable capacity increase and flexibility for traffic allocation. In addition, in multiple beam antenna systems like direct radiating arrays (DRA), lenses and imaging systems, all the radiators operate in dual polarizations. Feasibility of dual-polarization components and BFN (e.g., dual-polarization directional couplers, dividers, bends) has been investigated in recent TRP Activities with promising results. Dual-polarisation feeding systems are expected to guarantee a considerable mass and volume reduction (up to 50%) and higher degree of flexibility with respect to state-of-the-art components. An increase of hot-spot capacity up to 100% (when using the two polarisations) can be achieved for a set of beams.
The multiple feed per beam system concept has been implemented so far only for separated transmitting or receiving multibeam antennas. As such 2 antennas are needed. As well, single feed per beam system developments have addressed solutions with 4, 3 and 2 apertures. An antenna based on a single main aperture able to guarantee both the transmitting and receiving capabilities would guarantee an important saving in terms of volume and mass. Initial studies have been recently providing some promising results on the feasibility of this concept even if the allocated space for each transmit/receive feed path makes it very challenging.
The work-logic of this Activity is:
- Survey, analysis and trade-off of state-of-the-art including dual-polarization components and feed chains working in both transmission and reception.
- Identification of a promising new feed array architecture.
- Preliminary design of the feeding system for a multi-beam mission implementing either spot or linguistic beams.
- Manufacturing and testing of a scaled breadboard version or critical components fully representative of the focal array architecture.
- Applicability of this concept for a number of antenna configurations including FAFR, DRA, Lenses and Imaging systems shall be addressed.