Contoured Beam Control Method for an Onboard Reflector Antenna

Dmitry D. Gabrielyan¹, Konstantin M. Zanin¹

¹Rostov-on-Don Research Institute of Radio Communication.

DOI 10.24412/2410-9916-2026-1-035-047

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Abstract

Purpose. In the development of satellite communication systems, it is necessary to ensure the required quality of service within a specified service area, which may have a complex boundary shape. To cover this area, onboard antenna systems forming a contoured radiation pattern are used. The requirements for the parameters of this radiation pattern may change during the system's operation, which can be due to refinements in the service area boundary shape or changes in the relative position of the spacecraft and the service area over time. Several methods exist for implementing a specified radiation pattern in antenna system design. Among them, a promising approach is the use of a reflector antenna with a single feed and a profiled metallic reflector, whose surface primarily determines the parameters of the main beam. However, a relevant challenge is enabling control over the radiation pattern parameters, which is a primary limitation. Novelty. To overcome the mentioned limitation, a new method is proposed, which involves the relative geometric displacement of the reflector elements, thereby generating the required near field. Results. The results of radiation pattern calculations for independent (uncoupled) aperture configurations of the reflector antennas confirm the feasibility of the proposed method. Its application enables control of the contoured radiation pattern of the onboard reflector antenna with a single feed and a profiled reflector. Practical relevance. The actuating devices within the antenna system that implement the proposed method are mechanical components, whose parameters are more resilient to the factors of the space environment compared to radio components.

Key words

contour beam, reflector antenna, profiled reflector.

Reference for citation

Gabrielyan D. D, Zanin K. M. Contoured Beam Control Method for an Onboard Reflector Antenna. Systems of Control, Communication and Security, 2026, no. 1, pp. 35-47. DOI: 10.24412/2410-9916-2026-1-035-047 (in Russian).

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