This invention proposes a reflective surface antenna based on a triple telescopic rod drive and quasi-geodesic grid structure, including a supportive back frame, a reflective surface frame, a vertical connecting rod, a primary reflective surface, an auxiliary reflective surface, a radial support rod, a feed source, and an attitude control device. The supportive back frame and reflective surface frame have a paraboloidal truss structure. The primary reflective surface is fixed on the quasi-geodesic grid of the reflective surface; the auxiliary reflective surface is fixed at the focal point of the primary reflective surface; the feed source is fixed at the apex of the reflective surface; and the attitude control device includes a base and a telescopic rod.

This invention proposes a reflective surface antenna based on a triple telescopic rod drive and quasi-geodesic grid structure, including a supportive back frame, a reflective surface frame, a vertical connecting rod, a primary reflective surface, an auxiliary reflective surface, a radial support rod, a feed source, and an attitude control device. The supportive back frame and reflective surface frame have a paraboloidal truss structure. The primary reflective surface is fixed on the quasi-geodesic grid of the reflective surface; the auxiliary reflective surface is fixed at the focal point of the primary reflective surface; the feed source is fixed at the apex of the reflective surface; and the attitude control device includes a base and a telescopic rod.

An antenna housing that is generally ovular such that a sidewall of the housing has two curved surfaces (e.g., rounded ends) on opposing ends of the housing. The ovular shape of the housing allows a center of curvature of each rounded end to be disposed within an interior of an antenna bay(s) within the housing. In such an arrangement, the placement of the centers of curvature within the antenna bays allows for pivotally mounting individual antennas at or near the center of curvature. This allows pivoting the antennas within the antenna bay while maintaining a normal vector (e.g., extending normal to an emitting surface of the antenna) nearly perpendicular with an inside surface of shroud surrounding the antenna housing thereby reducing RF reflection and/or scatter.

An antenna housing that is generally ovular such that a sidewall of the housing has two curved surfaces (e.g., rounded ends) on opposing ends of the housing. The ovular shape of the housing allows a center of curvature of each rounded end to be disposed within an interior of an antenna bay(s) within the housing. In such an arrangement, the placement of the centers of curvature within the antenna bays allows for pivotally mounting individual antennas at or near the center of curvature. This allows pivoting the antennas within the antenna bay while maintaining a normal vector (e.g., extending normal to an emitting surface of the antenna) nearly perpendicular with an inside surface of shroud surrounding the antenna housing thereby reducing RF reflection and/or scatter.

An antenna includes a reflector and a waveguide assembly. The waveguide assembly includes a feed assembly and a support member that extends from behind the reflector to orient the feed assembly for direct illumination of the reflector. The waveguide assembly includes a first waveguide coupled to a first portion of a common waveguide, a second waveguide coupled to a second portion of the common waveguide, and a septum layer that includes a septum polarizer coupled between the common waveguide and the first and second waveguides.

An antenna includes a reflector and a waveguide assembly. The waveguide assembly includes a feed assembly and a support member that extends from behind the reflector to orient the feed assembly for direct illumination of the reflector. The waveguide assembly includes a first waveguide coupled to a first portion of a common waveguide, a second waveguide coupled to a second portion of the common waveguide, and a septum layer that includes a septum polarizer coupled between the common waveguide and the first and second waveguides.

An ultra-wideband electromagnetic source includes a voltage source and a pulser assembly electrically coupled to the voltage source. The pulser assembly includes a bipolar vector inversion generator (VIG) assembly, a peaking gap assembly coupled to the VIG assembly, and an oil lens assembly coupled to the peaking gap assembly. The ultra-wideband electromagnetic source also includes a balanced antenna assembly including one or more sets of antenna arms coupled to the oil lens assembly and an antenna reflector coupled to the one or more sets of antenna arms.

An ultra-wideband electromagnetic source includes a voltage source and a pulser assembly electrically coupled to the voltage source. The pulser assembly includes a bipolar vector inversion generator (VIG) assembly, a peaking gap assembly coupled to the VIG assembly, and an oil lens assembly coupled to the peaking gap assembly. The ultra-wideband electromagnetic source also includes a balanced antenna assembly including one or more sets of antenna arms coupled to the oil lens assembly and an antenna reflector coupled to the one or more sets of antenna arms.

An inflatable tracking antenna assembly may include an inflatable antenna. The inflatable antenna may be configurable in a packed configuration and a deployed configuration. In the deployed configuration the inflatable antenna may be generally spherical in shape. The assembly may include an antenna support structure. The support structure may include a plurality of support arms that couple with lateral sides of the inflatable antenna. The support structure may include a base that is coupled with each of the plurality of support arms. The base may include an azimuth actuator that adjusts an azimuth position of the inflatable antenna and an elevation actuator that adjusts an elevation angle of the inflatable antenna. The support structure may include a plurality of support legs that extend outward from the base.

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.