Measuring antenna mirror surface shape - using distance and angle measurement arrangement and computer separation gravitation independent and dependent deformations

摘要

The arrangement for measuring the shape of the mirror surface of a reflecting mirror antenna (1) contains a distance and angle measurement arrangement. A positioning device (7) carrying the measurement antenna rotates the antenna about its main lobe and stops at a defined rotation angle. The shape of the mirror surface is measured at a number of different rotation angles. A computer (9) performs an arithmetic operation w.r.t. the measured values and separates the shape of the mirror surface independent of the rotation angles from the angle-dependent deformation of the mirror surface. USE/ADVANTAGE - The arrangement enables separate measurement of the intrinsic mirror surface deformation under gravity-free conditions and the deformation as a result of gravity for an antenna attached to a satellite.