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StatusOngoing
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Status date2024-11-11
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Activity Code5C.447
The objective of the project is to replace the existing conduction cooled Traveling Wave Tube for the power class between 140W and 170W output power in Ku band with a cost optimized version of equivalent electrical performance.
The cost optimized design strategy
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combines sub-assemblies of already existing TWTs, developed in previous projects with agencies,
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improves the electron optics for easier and faster focusing
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implement easier housing process.
Therefore, several modifications at the sub-assembly level and the interfaces needed to be qualified.
Beside the mechanical interfaces also the functional interfaces needed to be qualified on TWT level.
- The improvement of the manually TWT focusing process is seen as critical, since several functional interfaces are re-designed with respect to the focusing effort.
The modifications of the sub-assemblies and especially the housing has been investigated carefully with respect to the very demanding environmental requirements. The new housing defines the levels for vibration and shock during satellite launch, which are impacting the sensitive parts inside the TWT housing such as cathode, delay line, collector and HV cable.
This optimized Ku-Band TWT fulfils the current needs of the satellite market in terms of cost competitiveness and production in an extremely short time frame.
Combining and improving the state of the art sub-assemblies allows to keep the electrical performance for the conduction cooled Ku-Band TWT and to optimize the costs for production and testing.
The conduction cooled high power Travelling Wave Tube is used for RF amplification of the downlink channels of satellite payloads. The TWT is a sub-component of the RF amplifier which consists of a power supply (EPC) for providing high voltage to the TWT and depending on the exact mission requirements a linearizer and pre-amplification equipment in front of the TWT.
An electron gun uses high voltages supplied by an EPC to form and collimate an electron beam.
The beam is then maintained over the length of the delay line by the magnetic field of a permanent magnet assembly.
The delay line of the TWT is designed to convert the kinetic energy of the electron beam to RF energy, amplifying the incident microwave radiation.
Because the conversion process is not highly efficient, the remaining kinetic energy of the electron beam is partially recovered by the depressed collector; the rest being converted to waste heat and conducted, together with the heat generated by RF losses, to the baseplate of the TWT.
The project is a product phase development leading to the realization of an Engineering Qualification Model (EQM) of the TWT and is divided into three parts. During the 1st part the TWT interfaces are evaluated. The 2nd part defines the TWT design in detail and ends with the CDR. Part 3 includes the final qualification and closes the project with the QR/FR.
Completed.
A cost reduced Ku-band TWT at EQM was successfully developed under this ARTES C&G activity.
