ASC Signal Ka-band Antenna Products

Prepared by ASC Product & Support Group

April 18th, 2013

Ka-band Earth Station Excellence A leader in Ka-band Technology • >150 fixed Ka-band terminals deployed

worldwide – iPStar – Wildblue Network – HNS Spaceway – DirecTV Diverse Sites – Various ARSTRAT certifications

• An additional 107 tactical 3.9m carbon fiber terminals delivered 2012

• Fixed antennas - 3.5m, 4.9m, 5.6m, 8.1m & 9.4m

• Transportable antennas - 2.4m, 3.9m and 4.6m

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ASC Signal Ka-band Products

3.5m Fixed Earth Station

• Used by Hughes for Spaceway

Gateway Terminal

• Type Approved by Hughes

(no field alignment required)

• Optional SRT and/or mount motion

satellite tracking

• Intelligent Heater Control System

• >50 deployed

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ASC Signal Ka-band Products

4.9m Fixed Earth Station

• Extremely versatile broadband antenna product (C, X, Ku, K, Ka)

• INTELSAT type-approved at C- and Ku- Bands

• Factory pre-aligned and certified • Low PIM X-Band Options • Simultaneous X/Ka Options • SRT and/or mount motion drives • Commercial and Government Ka-

band in single feed • Multiple current ARSTRAT

certification paths

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ASC Signal Ka-band Products 5.6m Fixed Earth Station

• Specifically designed for EHF operation

• Eight delivered and installed • Primary use as Wildblue

INTERNET gateway terminals • Each antenna configured with

redundant electronics • SRT and/or mount motion drives • Also available in Ku- and K- Band

models

ASC Signal Ka-band Products

8.1m and 9.4m Fixed ESA • >55 delivered, installed, and

commissioned • iPSTAR • WildBlue • DirectTV • WGS Terminals

• Fully ITU and ARSTRAT Compliant • Commercial + Govn’t Ka-band in

Single Feed • Large Equipment Hub Enclosure • Redundant Tracking Options • Thermal Compensation • Simultaneous X/Ka Band

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Excerpt From IBC Seminar

Engineering Ka-band: What You Need to Know

ASC Signal Ka-band Products Addressing the Key Earth Station Challenges

• Extreme Reflector/Feed Precision Required

• Hub Integrated RF Electronics Mandated

• Stiff Mechanical Constructions for Wind/Tracking

• Precision Drive Systems, High Accuracy LM tracking

• Optimized Reflector De-Ice Systems

• Solar Heating Mitigation

• Tracking Method Considerations

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ASC Signal Ka-band Products

8.1m and 9.4m Fixed ESA

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Large Hub Enclosure for Integration

ASC Signal Ka-band Products

LMA, motorized

LMA, manual

Full Motion, continuous

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8.1m and 9.4m Mount Choices

ASC Signal Ka-band Products

Key Pointing/Tracking Elements Full continuous motion mount

• Dual drive both axes • Extremely rigid construction • 10 deg inclined orbit track (X-band) • Redundant tracking scheme (Ka-Band) • Large maintenance platform

Next generation SRT Design

• End mill quality table construction • Stepper Motor Actuators • Absolute position feedback • 3rd Axis for thermal compensation

NGC antenna controller

• Mount motion and SRT in single unit • System monitor and control

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ASC Signal Ka-band Products

Key Features Optimized for tracking EHF spot

beam satellites

Much reduced mechanical wear and increased reliability

Self aligning linear bearings driven with DC stepper motors

Absolute position feedback

Virtually eliminates • Backlash • Deadband • Feedback repeatability

3rd Axis for Thermal Compensation

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ASC Signal Ka-band Products Pointing/Tracking Considerations, Thermal Beam Steering

8.1M Beacon vs Reference Beacon

-1

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1/14/200512:00:00

1/15/20050:00:00

1/15/200512:00:00

1/16/20050:00:00

1/16/200512:00:00

1/17/20050:00:00

1/17/200512:00:00

1/18/20050:00:00

1/18/200512:00:00

1/19/20050:00:00

Ref

eren

ce B

eaco

n

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

2

8.1M

Bea

con

Reference Antenna Beacon8.1M Antenna Beacon

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ASC Signal Ka-band Products

Thermal Defocusing

-2-1.8-1.6-1.4-1.2

-1-0.8-0.6-0.4-0.2

00.20.40.60.8

1

5/11/2005 14:00:00 5/11/2005 16:00:00 5/11/2005 18:00:00 5/11/2005 20:00:00 5/11/2005 22:00:00 5/12/2005 0:00:00 5/12/2005 2:00:00 5/12/2005 4:00:00

Sig

nal L

evel

(dB

)

11 am 1 pm 3 pm 7 pm

Heating

Distortion

Steering/Defocusing/Null Shift = Signal Loss

Beam Steering Simulation Asymmetric Reflector Distortion

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

-0.25 -0.2 -0.15 -0.1 -0.05 0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25

Degrees Theta

Dire

ctiv

ity (d

Bi)

30 GHz Uplink Tracking Channel (20 GHz)

} 13

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ASC Signal EHF Products

SRT Thermal Compensation – Ka Band X-Y accounts for Steering Z axis accounts for De-focusing

ASC Signal Ka-band Products • Over 250 Earth Station Antennas delivered since 2001

• Operating in commercial and governmental networks

worldwide

• Offering unmatched mitigation options

• Available Technical Material from ASC

Antenna Product Descriptions

EHF SRT white paper (3rd axis)

Solar/De-Ice Characterization Report

Thermal Loading Summary Presentation

Range Test Qualification Reports

RF Specifications

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