A XKa bands feeder antenna for a planetary
exploration high gain reflector antenna
K.Kagoshima,S,Takeda
Kazuki Ikeda
College of Engineerring, Ibaraki University
Hitachi-shi Japan
kagosima@mx.ibraki.ac.jp
Abstract A compact X/Ka bands feeder antenna has been
proposed for a Cassegrain type reflector antenna board on a
planetary exploration satellite. A sequentially rotated array in
X band and a helical array in Ka band are employed for
realizing the circular polarization. In the X band array, the
unique feeding method has been developed for reducing cross
polarization level of the sequential array and in the Ka band
array, the compact configuration has been realized by
positioning it within the space of the X band elements..
I. INTRODUCTION
In the field of the planetary exploration, it is desired to
provide high speed communication link for collecting large
amount of data from the planets. In addition to X band, Ka
band has been allocated to the planetary exploration and the
horn type X/Ka bands feeder antenna has been developed as a
feeder antenna for a Cassegrain reflector antenna 1 .
However, the horn antenna is large and heavy, therefore,
improvements in size and weight are required especially for
space borne satellites.
In this paper, we propose a compact X/Ka band feeder
antenna for a high gain reflector antenna. We assume the
reflector antenna with major specifications listed in Table 1.
In X band circular polarization antenna, we employ a
sequentially rotated patch antenna 2 fed by an L-probe
3to realize the simple circular polarization feeding circuit
and wide frequency bandwidth of the input characteristics.
Moreover, we propose the unique feeding method for the
patch antenna which is effective to reduce cross polarization
level in the plane of =45 degrees 4 . In Ka band
antenna, we use a helical antenna array for circular
polarization and obtain suitable beam-width to effectively
illuminate the reflector.
Table1.Specification of a reflection antenna
Diameter 1.5m
type Cassegrain
frequency X bandany 10MHz
@7.17GHz8.425GHz
Ka band500MHz@32.05GHz
Polarization Circular(RHCP)
Fig.2 Comparison of the
FD ratio
(equiuqlent)
1.45 configuration between the
horn and the proposed one
978-1-4673-0462-7/12/$31.00 2012 IEEE
T.Kobayashi,Y.Kato A.Tomiki
H.Iijima T.Toda
Tokyo Denki University Institute of Space and Astronautical Science
Tokyo Japan (ISAS), Japan Aerospace Exploration
koba@c.dendai.ac.jp Agency (JAXA)
Toda.tomoaki@jaxa.jp
60mm
X band
Ka band 60mm
Antenna RF circuit
(a) X/Ka bands feeder antenna (b) Element arrangement and feed
structure in X band
(c) Element arrangement in Ka band
Fig.1 Structure of the proposed X/Ka band feed antenna
In section 2, the structure of the antenna is briefly
described and the important antenna design items are
discussed in section 3.In section 4, the major results are shown
and the conclusion are described in section 5.
II. STRUCTURE OF A X/KA BANDS FEEDER ANTENNA
Fig.1(a) shows a proposed X/Ka frequency bands
feeder antenna for a satellite borne high gain reflector antenna.
The X band antenna consists of four elements sequentially
rotated array with a rectangular patch element fed by a L-
probe at a vertex position as shown in Fig.1(b). Aspect ratio
of the rectangular patch is chosen by considering the cross
polarization level and frequency bandwidth of the input
impedance and is around from 0.6 to 0.8. Since the number of
elements is four, each element is fed with the phase difference
Proposed
antenna
of 90 degrees between adjacent ones.
The Ka band antenna is consists of four axial mode
helical antennas with several turns and are fed with equiphases.
The Ka band helical array can be installed within the space
between X band elements, and spacing between the helical
elements can be designed up to one wavelength of the Ka band
unit:mm
frequency as shown in Fig.1(C). Fig.2 shows the comparison of
the configuration of the horn type X/Ka band antenna and the
proposed one. The cross sectional area is reduced by about one-
fourth and the length is shortened by one-tenth.
 III. ANTEANNA DESIGN
Input frequency characteristics of a patch antenna can
be enhanced by using L-probe fed, although the thickness of
the patch is about 0.13. By using this element for a
sequential array, reasonable low cross polarization level can
be achieved in the planes of =0 degree and 90 degrees, which Square patch Rectangular patch fed Rectangular patch fed at
means the planes in the line of the elements. However, in the normal to the side vertex

place of =45, the cross polarization radiation becomes (a) Candidate of patch element

very high as shown in Fig.3(b). This is due to the mutual -30

Theta (degree)
0

30
Theta (degree)
0
Theta (degree)
0

coupling between adjacent elements of the array. This -30 30 -30 30

drawback can be overcome by using the rectangular patch

-60 60
-60 60 -60 60

with moderate aspect ratio as shown in Fig. 3(a). However, as -90

-20 -10 0 10
(dBic)
90
20
-90
-20 -10 0 10
90 -90
20 -20 -10 0 10
90
20

= 0
(dBic) (dBic)

the aspect radio decreases, input frequency characteristics = 45 = 45

(b) Radiation pattern of the (c) Radiation pattern of the rectangular
becomes narrow. If the rectangular patch is fed at the vertex square patch array patch fed at vertex
position, input frequency characteristics can be increased4 Fig.3 configuration of patch element and corresponding radiation pattern
. In this case, the polarization, which is linear, changes when they are used as an element of the sequential array
depending on the resonant frequency. This is not desirable
when the single element is used. However, as is used in the
sequential array for the circular polarization, this doesnt
matter and the mutual coupling becomes small between
adjacent elements and the cross polarization level in the =45
plane can be decreased as shown in Fig.3 (c).

As for the Ka band feeder antenna, the same

configuration with that of X band is difficult in manufacturing,
so helical elements are adopted. Considering the HPBW of
about 30 degrees, four elements array is employed.
Fig.4 Frequency characteristic of VSWR and Axial ratio of the X
band antenna
IV. RESULT
Fig.4 shows the input characteristics of the X band RHCP
RHCP
antenna where the Ka band helical array coexists. Low VSWR LHCP
LHCP
can be achieved from 7.1 GHz8.4 GHz which is the band
allocated for the planetary exploration. Axial ration in this
frequency range is moderate.
Fig.5 shows the X band radiation pattern at 7.6 GHz. It
is expected from the calculated data shown in Fig.3(c) that the (a) = 0 / 180 (b) = 45 / 135

low cross polarization patterns are achieved both in the planes Fig.5. X band radiation pattern(measured) f=7.6GHz,d= 35mm
of both =0 and =45 .Fig.5 shows that the proposed
antenna is effective in reducing cross polarization level in the
plane of =45.
Fig.6 show the calculated radiation pattern of the Ka
band helical array. HPBW is about 30 degrees which is
effective to illuminate the Cassegrein reflector. Measured
results are almost coincident to the calculated results. (a)=0deg (b)=45deg
RHCP(array) Single RHCP LHCP(array) Single LHCP

V. CONCLUSION Fig.6 Ka band radiation pattern d=0.9,calculated

We have proposed a compact X/Ka bands feeder REFERENCES

antenna for a Cassegrane type reflector antenna board on a
planetary exploration satellite. For circular polarization, a
sequentially rotated array with a rectangular patch element fed
by an L-probe at a vertex position has been developed as the X
band antenna. A Ka band array with helical elements are
positioned within the space between X band elements and
therefore, considerably compact X/Ka bands antenna has been
realized compared to the existing horn type one.
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