PAGE CONTENTS
Objectives
Very High Throughput Satellite systems are shifting towards Q/V/W-band for the feeder link due to rapidly increasing traffic demand. These new bands provide larger usable spectrum while freeing Ka-band for the increasingly demanding user connectivity. However, the manufacturing of waveguide feeders at these bands become increasingly complex due to the shrinking feature size. Conventional milling techniques require tool access, so the components must be machined out of multiple piece-parts that are connected using flanges and screws. This results in bulky assemblies, which impacts on insertion losses and eventually system performance.
This activity addresses this challenge by applying high-precision 3D printing techniques to produce monolithic components with much reduced interfacing and assembly. The project also explores the full design flexibility afforded by 3D printing.
The University of Birmingham partners with Airbus, who has heritage Q/V-band development, and Filtronic, who has commercial production experience with V/W band components. This activity develops and validates three breadboards of fully integrated passive waveguide feeders at Q, V and W-band, respectively.
Challenges
The technical specifications for the hardware are stringent in terms of the requirement for dual circular-polarisation separation over either a wide band or two widely distanced frequency bands. There are significant trade-offs among bandwidth, polarisation isolation and frequency multiplexing.
The other challenge area is the manufacture. Polarisers, orthomode transducers and multiplexers are known to be hard to manufacture and sensitive to imperfections in both manufacture and assembly. This activity explores the use of additive manufacture (AM) techniques. Design-for-manufacture is an important consideration to take advantage of the free-forming capability of AM without sacrificing the RF performance.
System Architecture
The activity develops hardware components for three different band combinations. The architecture for each depends on the specific polarisation and multiplexing requirements. The hardware contains polarisers, orthomode transducers, filters, diplexers or multiplexer.
Plan
The project has six technical work packages:
WP1000: Finalised Technical Specification
WP2000: Technology Selection
WP3000: Detailed Design of Prototypes
WP4000: Implementation and Verification Plan
WP5000: Verified Deliverable Items and Compliance Statement
WP6000: Technology Assessment and Development Plan
The Q/V band hardware development is in parallel with the Q/W and V/W band development.
There are four milestones:
MS1: Finalised technical specification and technology selection
MS2: Detailed design and implementation & verification plan
MS3: Test results and assessment
MS4: Final report
Current Status
The KO meeting of the project took place in December 2023.
