Large space-borne reflector antenna characterization: Evaluation and distortion compensation.

摘要

For space-borne reflector antenna applications, both size and weight of the antenna is restricted to the payload capacity of the launch vehicle. Advantages in the material and manufacturing capabilities of large reflector antennas over the recent years have made it possible to propose antenna systems with ever increasing size and operating frequency. Before deployment, however, it is crucial to accurately evaluate the radiation characteristics of these antennas. Also, if compensatory measures are applied to compensate for structural distortions, it is necessary to assess its effectiveness for a particular the examined antenna configuration.; In this dissertation, an effective dual reflector analysis technique has been developed, using a combination of Physical Optics, Geometrical Optics and Fourier-Jacobi surface expansion. This analysis technique has been applied to two classes of reflector antenna applications. First, two challenging single reflector antenna configurations have been designed and analyzed. Second, the analysis technique is used for subreflector shaping in the process of main reflector distortion compensation for an electrically large dual reflector antenna configuration. Note that the inflatable reflector antenna configurations investigated in this thesis belong to the class reflector antennas larger than 20 m, which are now being considered for future space missions.