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StatusOngoing
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Status date2015-07-23
The purpose of the Project is to develop and to qualify a five-channels thermally compensated output Multiplexer (OMUX) for high power Ka-Band telecommunications applications.
The main objectives are to develop and to qualify :
A new Ka-Band Channel Filter - four poles – narrow band including a thermal compensation device
A new Ka-Band Manifold including a thermal compensation device..
A new Ka-Band high Power Low Pass Filter.
The study and all analysis are performed on a twelve Channels OMUX in Ka frequency band [19.7 GHZ – 20.2 GHz] and 340 W. input power per Channel.
The qualification is performed on a five Channels OMUX.
The major challenges brought by the OMUX development in Ka-band frequency are to demonstrate :
- High Power capability
- Competitive RF performances
- Competitive Thermal design and Mass
This development allows TAS to offer better payload solutions according to the use of more performing and more compact output Filters.
The advantages of the Ka-band Thermal Compensated OMUX solution are particularly significant for the incoming generation of high power payloads using the latest generation of high power TWT’s (170 W.). Furthermore these TWT’s can be paired in one channel, leading to an RF power of up to 340 W. per channel.
This new product offers a very high RF power capability compared to potential existing competitor systems
The Ka-band Thermal Compensated OMUX is composed of :
- Aluminium 4 poles channels Filters. The compact design of the lateral coupling between the 2 cavities of the channels contributes to reduce the footprint and the mass. This RF solution allows also to optimize the thermal design and to increase the input power par channel. A great stability of the centre frequency in temperature is ensured thanks to a suitable thermal compensation device fixed on each channel Filter.
- Aluminium Manifold with thermal compensation is designed in order to be compatible to a very high input power, keeping a good thermal stability for RF performances.
- Aluminium high power Low Pass Filter is designed in order to achieve input power without Multipactor event, and required far out of band rejections.
The OMUX development is separated into four main phases, leading each one to the following milestones :
TC Channel Filters and TC Manifold development PDR
OMUX development, Breadboards manufacturing and testing CDR
OMUX manufacturing and mounting TRR
OMUX qualification tests Final Review
Technical Specification has been frozen
Trade-off on Band-Pass Filter RF design is completed. The final RF design of the is now in progress.
Preliminary thermal design shows no major issue for the feasibility, but final thermal design need to be optimized in order to minimize the Mass.
Breadboards test plan has been defined. Definition Files and Manufacturing of each Breadboard (Channels Filters, Manifold, Low-Pass Filter) are foreseen once the RF, Mechanical and Thermal design will be completed.
