A high-performance reflector antenna appropriate for high-volume production

The cost of an antenna element is a key parameter in maximizing the performance per cost ratio of an array. Most current radio telescope array antennas were not designed for high-volume production but generally “only” for performance since typically the production numbers were not large enough to (a) justify the additional design effort and (b) qualify for discount production in terms of amortized tooling costs and quantity purchase. The Allen Telescope Array (ATA) was one of the first radio telescope antenna arrays to be designed for high-volume antenna production.