Advanced Flexible Ku band MPM ARTES 3

TWTA + LCAMP assembly takes a major place in most of today communication payloads. It is therefore a strategic product in which Thales electron devices, Thales Alenia Space Belgium, Thales Alenia Space France, (respectively for TWT, EPC, and linearized CAMP) have either the world-wide leadership or a major situation in the satellite market. Nevertheless, the current product generation does not offer sufficient flexibility in term of functionality and RF performance, in order to better optimize the payload budgets versus satellite capacity. It is then necessary to develop a new product generation, consisting in a flexible LCAMP + TWTA. The power flexibility range has been fixed up to 3 dB. Main specification objectives are the following: - frequency range: 1 GHz between 10.7 - 12.75 GHz - output power level: 150 W end of life - In flight power flexibility : 150 W to 75 W by steps of 4 Watts max. The architecture is based around the development and electrical mating of the three flexible modules : - the TWT optimized to ensure power efficiency and linearity behavior with respect to the flexible setting - the EPC including a controllable cathode current regulator - the LCAMP in charge of mating the two other equipments, in term of platform TM/TC interface, RF drive level. It is optimized to fit the TWTA response and to ensure its drive security across the full flexible range. The selected approach provides maximum in orbit flexibility. This presentation will review the present status of the Flexible Ku band MPM ARTES 3 developed under ESA and CNES funding.