Moveable Beam Forming Matrix Equipment for Direct Broadcast Satellites and Other Applications

This paper presents the results of an ESA program for developing and breadboarding a space-qualified moveable beam forming network (BFN) with an integrated control-board in order to adjust the amplitude and phase drive signals required for each element in an active-array antenna, resulting in the desired antenna pattern. on earth. The developed and breadboarded BFN, with an integrated control-board, services 2 beam input ports and 7 antenna element drive outputs. Over the operating temperature range from ¿25°C to +60°C, programmable phase adjustment and amplitude adjustment accuracies of ±3 degrees and ±0.25 dB are achieved, respectively.