Additively Manufactured Array Antennas for Satellite Payloads

Cost and schedule are critical to satellite communications payloads. Antenna system represents an important part of the satellite payload, and the design varies from satellite to satellite based on the requirements and type of satellite. Design, fabrication, test, and qualification consume a significant portion of the delivery schedule due to manufacture of the feed systems meeting tight tolerances and hence increased cost. This paper presents a low-cost manufacturing method of a monopulse feed assembly using 3-D manufacturing. Results presented show that 3-D manufactured feed meets stringent requirements of the monopulse feed including realization of deep nulls.