Design and testing of multibeam supertile array for satellite communications

A 17 GHz receive multibeam active phased array based on modular "supertiles" was built and tested. The array will be launched and placed in geostationary orbit in the near future. The tile concept is characterized by low volume and low mass, making it well suited for satellite antenna applications, and in particular for deployed multibeam active phased arrays for communications satellites. The modular design facilitates low recurring cost in a high volume continuous production. Measured array data are in good agreement with estimated and predicted values, proving that the array can be built according to its requirements, and calibrated and controlled to generate independent beams with low sidelobes from low RMS excitation errors.