Space Systems/loral, LLC

Pamela Kung

Peter S Simon

Bruno W Hollenstein

Electrically large, stepped-wall or smooth-wall, direct-radiating horn antenna apparatus that may preferably be used in satellite spot beam applications. Exemplary electrically large smooth-wall horn antenna apparatus comprises one or more input ports, an electrically large output port, and a smooth-wall or stepped-wall tapered section having a spline-shaped profile extending from the input port(s) to the output port of the apparatus. The spline-shaped profile is preferably monotonic and is preferably configured to generate a spot beam. The spline-shaped profile may be configured to support multiple frequency bands, and dual simultaneous polarization having either linear or circular polarization. The spline-shaped profile is defined by spline knots, and, the knot radii form a nondecreasing sequence. Preferably, the spline-shaped profile comprises a piecewise cubic Hermite interpolating polynomial spline that interpolates the shape of curves between the spline knots.

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Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Pamela Kung