COMPACT SPACECRAFT ANTENNA FIELD APERTURE LOAD COUPLER
First Claim
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1. An apparatus adapted to reduce a peak radiated flux density of a horn antenna, comprising:
- a surrogate waveguide comprising;
a first section having a first end configured to be disposed within a waveguide portion of the horn antenna;
a second section having a second end configured to extend to or beyond a wide end of the horn antenna, wherein the second section of the surrogate waveguide comprises a flared aperture where the flare ends at or outside the wide end of the horn antenna and expands to a maximum cross-sectional dimension that is smaller than the largest cross-sectional dimension of the wide end of the horn antenna; and
a face plate at the wide end of the horn antenna through which the surrogate waveguide passes.
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Abstract
An apparatus, method, and system are disclosed that can be used to reduce the peak radiated flux density of a horn antenna or for testing the electronics associated with a horn antenna. A horn antenna with narrow and wide ends can have disposed within it a surrogate waveguide. The surrogate waveguide has a wide end smaller than the wide end of the horn antenna, and the wide end of surrogate waveguide extending to or beyond the wide end of the horn antenna. A mounting plate or face plate covers a portion of the wide end of the horn antenna.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus adapted to reduce a peak radiated flux density of a horn antenna, comprising:
a surrogate waveguide comprising; a first section having a first end configured to be disposed within a waveguide portion of the horn antenna; a second section having a second end configured to extend to or beyond a wide end of the horn antenna, wherein the second section of the surrogate waveguide comprises a flared aperture where the flare ends at or outside the wide end of the horn antenna and expands to a maximum cross-sectional dimension that is smaller than the largest cross-sectional dimension of the wide end of the horn antenna; and a face plate at the wide end of the horn antenna through which the surrogate waveguide passes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for testing electronics associated with a horn antenna, comprising:
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the horn antenna having a narrow end and an wide end; a circular surrogate waveguide inserted into the horn with a straight end and an aperture end, wherein; the surrogate waveguide is aluminum with an anodized exterior surface; the straight end is slip-fitted into the narrow end of the horn; the aperture end extends to or beyond the end of the wide end of the horn; the diameter of the surrogate waveguide is constant from the narrow end near an exit of the wide end of the horn; and the aperture of the aperture end of the surrogate waveguide is smaller than the aperture of the horn; a mounting plate of anodized aluminum that; is mounted at the wide end of the horn; supports the surrogate waveguide which runs through the center of the mounting plate; thermally couples with the surrogate waveguide; and contains at least one perforation outside of the surrogate waveguide with diameter large enough to be above a cutoff for a signal generated by the horn; and a radiation absorbing surface on an actively cooled aluminum plate surrounded by a thin aluminum shroud in a field aperture load configuration, where the radiation absorbing surface is positioned facing a primary direction of energy propagation from the front of the horn. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A method for testing electronics associated with a horn antenna having a narrow end and a wide end, a surrogate waveguide with a straight end and an aperture end, the method comprising:
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attaching the surrogate waveguide to the center of a mounting plate, wherein the shape and dimensions of the mounting plate are substantially the same as the shape and dimensions of the wide end of the horn; inserting the surrogate waveguide into the horn until the straight end of the surrogate waveguide slip-fits into the narrow end of the horn; attaching the mounting plate to the wide end of the horn; and conducting one or more tests using a probe or directional coupler to detect or insert transmissions. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification