Antenna system with multiple independently steerable shaped beams
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus comprising:
- an antenna system configured to provide at least a first beam and a second beam, the antenna system comprising;
a main reflector; and
at least a first subreflector associated with the first beam and a second subreflector associated with the second beam;
whereinthe antenna system is disposed on a spacecraft and is communicatively coupled with a ground station;
each subreflector is configured to illuminate the main reflector, the first subreflector being directly illuminated by a first dedicated feed element such that no optical component is disposed between the subreflector and the first dedicated feed element; and
the first subreflector is configured to steer the first beam, independently of the second beam, without moving the first dedicated feed element.
16 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An antenna system having a main reflector and at least two subreflectors is configured to provide at least two independently steerable beams. Each subreflector is configured to illuminate the main reflector, and each subreflector is configured to be illuminated by a respective dedicated feed element or dedicated feed array. At least one of the subreflectors is configured to steer a first beam, without affecting the shape or orientation of any other beam. One or more of the beams may also be independently shaped, by a contoured surface of one or more subreflectors and/or the main reflector.
-
Citations
22 Claims
-
1. An apparatus comprising:
an antenna system configured to provide at least a first beam and a second beam, the antenna system comprising; a main reflector; and at least a first subreflector associated with the first beam and a second subreflector associated with the second beam;
whereinthe antenna system is disposed on a spacecraft and is communicatively coupled with a ground station; each subreflector is configured to illuminate the main reflector, the first subreflector being directly illuminated by a first dedicated feed element such that no optical component is disposed between the subreflector and the first dedicated feed element; and the first subreflector is configured to steer the first beam, independently of the second beam, without moving the first dedicated feed element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
16. A spacecraft comprising:
-
a control system; and an antenna system configured to provide at least a first beam and a second beam, the antenna system comprising; a main reflector; and at least a first subreflector associated with the first beam and a second subreflector associated with the second beam;
whereineach subreflector is configured to illuminate the main reflector, the first subreflector being directly illuminated by a first dedicated feed element such that no optical component is disposed between the subreflector and the first dedicated feed element; the first subreflector is configured to steer the first beam, independently of the second beam, without moving the first dedicated feed element; and the control system is configured to control at least one of a position and an orientation of at least the first subreflector. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
Specification