Wide scanning reflector antennas for satellite crosslinks

The system design and requirements for high data rate RF crosslinks for V-band geosynchronous satellite applications are described and implementation alternatives for a range of data rate capabilities are presented. The available technology and a novel antenna design for geostationary applications are described. The antenna provides a low mass, low loss design to satisfy the wide angle scanning requirements for these applications. This antenna concept has also been extended to more general non-geostationary orbital plans where connectivity between satellites in same and different orbital planes is required. Such connectivity requirements increase the required antenna scanning capabilities and a second novel reflector antenna design has been devised to satisfy such broad scanning requirements.