High TRL achieved for European large deployable reflector antennas

Large Deployable Reflectors (LDRs) and in orbit reconfigurable reflectors are requested by the telecommunication market more and more. High frequency applications including Ka-Band missions are required. Ka-band 5 m reflectors are requested for (very) high throughput telecommunication satellites demanding special highly stable and precise technologies. LSS has demonstrated two types of LDR technologies based on its own architectures with metal mesh and shell-membrane RF surface types. In both cases, 5 m demonstrators have been designed, manufactured and tested by LSS, with contributions from SMEs and Universities, resulting into a TRL of 5 and higher. In addition, LSS is working on shaped LFRs and techniques for drastic reduction of grating lobes for faceted surfaces of LDRs. LSS's in-orbit reconfigurable reflectors under development allow covering newly requested coverage areas on the Earth during the satellite's operational life.