An on-board reconfigurable antenna system for Ka-band broadcasting satellite services

A reconfigurable antenna front-end for Ka-band Broadcasting Satellite Services (BSS) constitutes an attractive solution to efficiently exploit the limited resources available onboard the satellite. In this respect the dynamic modification of the radiated power distribution over the service area according to the actual time-variant location of meteorological fronts allows counteracting the propagation impairments due to rain, gases, clouds and scintillation. The paper summarizes the guidelines which have been recently identified for the electrical design of a Ka-band Transmit Reconfigurable Antenna targeting BSS and able to actively counteract propagation fading.