Agence Spatiale Europeenne

Finmeccanica Spa

Space Engineering S.p.a.

Contraves Italiana S.p.a.

Gianfranco Ruggerini

Piero Angeletti

Giovanni Toso

Raimondo Lo Forti

Giancarlo Bellaveglia

Francesco Alia

Pasquale Capece

A method of manufacturing an array antenna comprising: a design phase wherein an array layout of said array antenna is synthesized and radiating elements are designed to be arranged according to said array layout; and a phase of physically making said array antenna wherein the radiating elements are arranged according to said array layout. The design phase comprises the steps of: defining a continuous reference aperture; subdividing said continuous reference aperture into a plurality of elementary cells with assigned power levels; determining, within each said elementary cell, a position for at least one maximum efficiency radiating element; determining a size and an aperture field amplitude of each said maximum efficiency radiating element, such that a variation of a cumulative field distribution of the resulting array antenna aperture over each said elementary cell is substantially equal to a variation of a cumulative field distribution of said reference aperture over the same elementary cell, subject to size constraints.

Array antenna with optimized elements positions and dimensions

A multibeam antenna comprising: a plurality of primary radiating elements, each associated to a respective beam; and an active radiating structure comprising a first planar array of radiating elements, a second planar array composed by a same number of radiating elements, a set of connections between each radiating element of the first planar array and one corresponding element of the second planar array, and a set of power amplifiers for amplifying signals transmitted through said connections; wherein: the relative positions of the radiating elements of the first and second planar arrays and phase delays introduced by said connections are such that the radiating structure forms an active discrete converging lens; and said primary radiating elements are clustered on a focal surface of said lens, facing the first planar array; characterized in that said first and second planar arrays are both aperiodic. A method of manufacturing such an antenna.

Multibeam active discrete lens antenna

Shaped beam antenna, with single or double reflector, gridded or non-gridded, the shaped beams, which can rotate the polarisation, independent of the polarisation of the feed cluster, for use preferably aboard satellites and in micro-wave antennas. The antenna includes a reflector (1), one or more polarisers (2), (2a), one or more feed clusters (3), (3a) , microwave circuits (4), (4a) to set-up the BFN, input port (5), (5a), and connections (C) and (C1).

Antenna with single or double reflectors, with shaped beams and linear

A reflector antenna is disclosed which generates two or more beams which are separated angularly in the elevation plane, as in multi-beam antennas, and are shaped so as to provide, when combined, any desired pattern of coverage. The antenna includes a horn which receives separated inputs and radiates toward a reflector primary beams displaced from one another by a predetermined angle but having a single phase center.

Growing community of inventors

Rome, Italy

Gianfranco Ruggerini