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SWITCHED HEMISPHERICAL ANTENNA
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TRA PROPOSES THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SWITCHED HEMISPHERICAL ANTENNA FOR USE ON THE STS, SPACE STATIONS AND SATELLITES. THE ANTENNA HAS THE ABILITY TO SCAN OVER 2 PI STERADIANS, SAMPLE SIGNAL STRENGTH FROM A BEACON AND ROUTE DATA TO THE APPROPRIATE SECTOR. THE ON-BOARD COMPUTER MAY BE INTERFACEDTO AN INERTIAL REFERENCE FRAME ALLOWING THE CONTROLLER TO COMPENSATE FOR SATELLITE SPIN. TWO SUCH ANTENNAS WILL ALLOW4 PI STERADIAN COVERAGE. THE GAIN OF AN INDIVIDUAL UNIT ANTENNA WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 15 DB AND THE SYSTEM WILL SUPPORT CIRCULAR POLARIZATION. BECAUSE THE ANTENNA WILL BE UNDER SOFTWARE CONTROL DIVERSE AND FLEXIBLE OPERATION IS POSSIBLE. A SIMILAR SYSTEM HAS APPLICATION AS A ROOF MOUNTED GROUND VEHICLE TO SATELLITE ANTENNA, ABLE TO COMPENSATE FOR VEHICLE OR SATELLITE MOTION. THE PROPOSED ANTENNA WILL OPERATE IN THE KU BAND.
* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *