New Product Dual Ka-Band TWT THL20060D Development and Qualification

In the frame of new Software Defined Satellites (SDS) programs using active antennas, Thales is developing a new innovative Ka-band Traveling-Wave Tube (TWT). Referred as THL20060D, this design benefits from the experience gathered during the Dual Ku development. The Dual TWT product is a breakthrough compared to legacy TWTs as it is composed of two RF lines on a single baseplate with integrated waveguides. Each line can have its own drive level despite several common HV cables. A deep work was conducted to compact all the sub-assemblies which results in a significant mass and volume savings. The development phases being finalized, this paper describes the design choices and the upcoming qualification campaign.