| 摘要 |
A composite reflector structure (28) for a spacecraft antenna system (20, 50) is formed of a honeycomb material, transparent to electromagnetic radiation, and having inner and outer arcuate surfaces (30, 32) substantially uniformly spaced apart and carrying corresponding sets of inner and outer reflective elements (68). The sets of reflective elements (68) comprise parallel strips of electrically conductive material (72), the strips on the inner surface (30) being perpendicular to the strips on the outer surface (32). The two sets of reflective elements (68) having sufficient spacing therebetween to provide adequate rigidity to the supporting structure (62). A pair of feed horns (40, 42) illuminate the reflectors (68) via a subreflector (44) having a polarization sensitive surface which reflects electromagnetic waves having a polarization of one plane while being transmissive to radiation having polarization in a perpendicular plane. This arrangement of the components of the antenna system permits the feed horns (40, 42) to be individually positioned at both sides of the respective reflectors while retaining decoupled independent transmission of cross-polarized signals, and reducing overall weight while maintaining adequate rigidity to the entire structure. Each feed horn (40, 42) may be replaced by an array of feed horns having the same polarization as the horn they replaced. |
