Parabolic reflector antennas advantageously utilize feed boom mounted dielectric lens structures to support enhanced radiation pattern control. A parabolic reflector antenna includes a dish reflector, a feed boom waveguide having a proximal end coupled to the dish reflector, a sub-reflector assembly and a dielectric lens. The sub-reflector assembly may include a dielectric block coupled to a distal end of the feed boom waveguide and a sub-reflector adjacent a distal end of the dielectric block. The dielectric lens may be provided on the feed boom waveguide at a location intermediate the proximal and distal ends of the feed boom waveguide.

Disclosed herein is a double-reflector antenna (1) for use on board a satellite or space platform for data downlink or for telemetry, tracking and command. Said double-reflector antenna (1) comprises a main reflector (11) and a sub-reflector (12) arranged coaxially with, and in front of, one another. Additionally, the double-reflector antenna (1) further comprises a coaxial feeder, that is arranged coaxially with the main reflector (11) and the sub-reflector (12), and that includes inner (14) and outer (13) conductors arranged coaxially with, and spaced apart from, one another. The coaxial feeder is designed to be fed with downlink microwave signals to be transmitted by the double-reflector antenna (1), and to radiate said downlink microwave signals through a feed aperture (15), that is located centrally with respect to the main reflector (11) and that gives onto the sub-reflector (12). The inner conductor (14) protrudes axially and outwardly from the feed aperture (15) up to the sub-reflector (12) and is rigidly coupled to said sub-reflector (12) thereby supporting said sub-reflector (12).

The waveguide connector assembly includes a waveguide connector having a first end, a second end, and a body having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the waveguide connector being configured to receive a waveguide in a first orientation or a second orientation at the first end, the second orientation being a rotation of the waveguide from the first orientation by either 45 degrees or 90 degrees to change polarizations. The waveguide connector assembly includes a movable sleeve having a first end, a second end, a body, and an engaging surface, the movable sleeve being configured to slide axially along the exterior surface of the waveguide connector, the engaging surface being configured to prevent axial movement of the waveguide when the movable sleeve is in an engaged position.

In accordance with one or more embodiments, a method includes receiving a first wireless signal via a feed point on an antenna body, wherein the antenna body includes a dielectric core having a reflective surface configured as a dish reflector; reflecting the first wireless signal via the reflective surface to an aperture of the antenna body; and radiating the first wireless signal from the aperture.

Higher isolation solutions for printed circuit board mounted antenna and waveguide interfaces are provided herein. An example waveguide mounted onto a dielectric substrate can enclose around a periphery of an antenna and contain radiation produced by the antenna along a path that is coaxial with a centerline of the waveguide. The waveguide can have a first portion having a first cross sectional area that is substantially polygonal that transitions to a second cross sectional area that is substantially conical. A shape of the radiation produced by the antenna is altered by the first portion as the radiation propagates through the first portion. A second portion includes an elongated tubular member coupled with the first portion.

The present invention discloses a dual-frequency feed-source module and a dual-frequency microwave antenna, wherein the dual-frequency feed-source module mainly comprises two coaxially arranged waveguides, the two waveguides respectively provide microwave energy of two different frequency bands to radiating portions for feeding, so that the antenna can be operated in different frequency bands at the same time. The combination of the two coaxial waveguides, a reflector and other structures can form different microwave antennas such as a feedforward dual-band microwave antenna and a feedback Cassegrain dual-band microwave antenna. The invention feeds microwave energy through the two waveguides, so that the antenna can be operated in two frequency bands at the same time, thus greatly expanding an application range of the microwave antenna.

A satellite including an antenna assembly adjustable between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration. When in the stowed configuration, the antenna assembly can be stowable within a container, such as a container compatible with a CubeSat. When in the deployed configuration, a reflector of the antenna assembly can be directionally adjustable, such as in both elevation and azimuth.

Antenna assemblies are described herein. In particular, described herein are multi-focal-point antenna devices and compact radio frequency (RF) antenna devices. Any of these assemblies may include a primary feed that includes a single patterned emitting surface from which multiple different beams of RF signals are emitted corresponding to different antenna input feeds each communicating with the patterned antenna emitting surface. The antenna assembly is therefore capable of emitting beams in the same direction having different polarizations using a single primary feed.

Parabolic reflector antennas advantageously support low side lobe radiation patterns for ETSI class 4 performance, by utilizing: (i) metal choke plates adjacent a distal end of a dielectric cone within a sub-reflector assembly, (ii) lossy material feed boom waveguide sleeves and/or (iii) extended length cylindrical shields lined with radiation absorbing materials. Relatively shallow and large diameter parabolic reflectors having an F/D ratio of greater than about 0.25 may be provided with one or more of the identified (i)-(iii) enhancements.

An azimuth support is rotatable around an azimuth axis. An elevation support is rotatable around an elevation axis. An auxiliary support is rotatable around an auxiliary axis that is perpendicular to the elevation axis. An antenna control device calculates a command orientation direction that is a direction in which a parabolic antenna is oriented. At initial capture of a communication target, the antenna control device sets an original point of an auxiliary axis to a midpoint of a rotation range of the auxiliary axis and sets an original point of an azimuth axis and an original point of an elevation axis to an azimuth angle and an elevation angle of the command orientation direction. The antenna control device calculates a drive command value indicating amounts by which the azimuth support, the elevation support, and the auxiliary support are driven so that (i) the parabolic antenna directs in the command orientation direction and (ii) a sum of amounts of change of the azimuth axis, the elevation axis, and the auxiliary axis from the original point is minimized. The antenna control device controls the azimuth support, the elevation support, and the auxiliary support in accordance with the drive command value.