| 摘要 |
The Spacecraft Antennas & Beam Steering Methods for Satellite Communication System comprises an advanced active element phased antenna array (10). The present invention utilizes electronic beam steering to provide extremely high gain signals. In one of the preferred embodiments of the invention, a satellite (S) includes an Earth-facing array (10) of hexagonal antenna facets (12) that are mated together along their six-sided boundaries to form a slightly flattened, hemispherical shell. The antenna array (10) is connected to two rectilinear, unfurled, solar panels (14) which trail the body of the spacecraft (S) and provide electrical power. The antenna array (10) is designed to transmit and receive signals from terrestrial units that are located within the footprints (20) produced by the electronically steered beams (19). |
