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At least 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1992

Optimizing the G/T ratio of the DSS-13 34-meter beam-waveguide antenna

Calculations using Physical Optics computer software were done to optimize the gain-to-noise-temperature (G/T) ratio of Deep Space Station (DSS)-13, the Deep Space Network's (DSN's) 34-m beam-waveguide antenna, at X-band for operation with the ultra-low-noise amplifier maser system. A better G/T value was obtained by using a 24.2-dB far-field-gain smooth-wall dual-mode horn than by using the standard X-band 22.5-dB-gain corrugated horn.

Esquivel, M. S.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Beam-waveguide antenna servo design issues for tracking low earth-orbiting satellites

Upcoming NASA missions will require tracking of low-orbit satellites. As a consequence, NASA antennas will be required to track satellites at higher rates than for the current deep space missions. This article investigates servo design issues for the 34-m beam-waveguide antennas that track low-orbit satellites. This includes upgrading the servo with a feedforward loop, using a monopulse controller design, and reducing tracking errors through either proper choice of elevation pinion location, application of a notch filter, or adjustment of the elevation drive amplifier gain. Finally, improvement of the signal-to-noise ratio through averaging of the over-sampled monopulse signal is described.

Gawronski, W. K.↗
NASA NTRS1989

A new analysis of beam-waveguide antennas considering the presence of the enclosure

Beam-waveguide (BWG) antennas provide multiple frequency band operations and other operational benefits for large ground-station antennas. Present design practices use diffraction analyses that ignore the presence of the BWG enclosure and may be inaccurate at lower frequency bands for ground-station antennas operating over multiple frequency bands. Introduced here is a new analysis approach that considers the presence of the BWG enclosure. Results based on the new analysis have revealed new understandings of the performance degradation mechanisms in a BWG antenna and have provided direction for potential design improvements.

Cha, A. G.↗
NASA NTRS1994

The electrical conductivities of candidate beam-waveguide antenna shroud materials

The shroud on the beam-waveguide (BWG) antenna at DSS 13 is made from highly magnetic American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) A36 steel. Measurements at 8.42 GHz showed that this material (with paint) has a very poor electrical conductivity that is 600 times worse than aluminum. In cases where the BWG mirrors might be slightly misaligned, unintentional illumination and poor electrical conductivity of the shroud walls can cause system noise temperature to be increased significantly. This potential increase of noise temperature contribution can be reduced through the use of better conductivity materials for the shroud walls. An alternative is to attempt to improve the conductivity of the currently used ASTM A36 steel by means of some type of plating, surface treatment, or high-conductivity paints. This article presents the results of a study made to find improved materials for future shrouds and mirror supports.

Otoshi, T. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Performance of the X-/Ka/KABLE-band dichroic plate in the DSS-13 beam waveguide antenna

The first Ka-band downlink demonstration was recently carried out by the Ka-Band Link Experiment (KABLE) in association with the Mars Observer spacecraft. In order to support the mission, a dichroic plate was required in the DSS-13 beam waveguide antenna to allow simultaneous X- and Ka-band operation. An X-/ Ka-/ KABLE-band dichroic plate was designed to transmit Ka-band downlink (31.8-32.3 GHz), Ka-band uplink (34.2-34.7 GHz), and KABLE (33.6-33.8 GHz) frequencies, while reflecting X-band (8.4-8.5 GHz). A computer program was developed for the analysis of a dichroic plate with rectangular apertures by using the mode-matching method. The plate was then fabricated and tested. The reflection, group delay, and noise temperature in the antenna system due to the dichroic plate were measured. The experimental results show good agreement with theoretical prediction.

Chen, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1991

A proposed far-field method for frequency-stability measurements on the DSS 13 beam-waveguide antenna

A method for measuring the frequency stability of the beam-waveguide (BWG) antenna at Deep Space Station 13 is presented. This method is relatively inexpensive and primarily utilizes equipment that is already available. Another desirable feature of the method is that a far-field signal will be used for the measurement. In concert with the goal of employing new technology developments, a fiber optic system will be used at 12 GHz to carry a reference antenna signal to the BWG antenna Ku-band test-package location in the pedestal room.

Otoshi, T. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1992

DSS-13 beam-waveguide antenna performance in the bypass mode

A new 34-meter beam-waveguide (BWG) antenna that contains two microwave paths, a centerline feed system, and a bypass feed system, was built at the Deep Space Station 13 (DDS 13) at Goldstone, California. Previous articles have described the test results from the evaluation of the centerline BWG feed system in the receive mode as well as the test package hardware used to perform these tests. The test results from the evaluation of the bypass BWG feed system on the DSS-13 antenna in the receive mode, including the operating noise-temperature and the antenna-area-efficiency measurements, are presented.

Stewart, S. R.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Design and performance analysis of the DSS-13 beam waveguide antenna

A new 34 m research and development antenna is currently being constructed prior to introducing beam waveguide (BWG) antennas and Ka-band (32 GHz) frequencies into the NASA/JPL Deep Space Network. The new 34 m antenna, fed with either a center or bypass BWG, will lose less than 0.2 dB (excluding surface root mean square and mirror misalignment losses), as compared with a standard-fed Cassegrain antenna a X- (8.4 GHz) and Ka-bands. The antenna is currently under construction and is scheduled to be completed July 1990. Phase 1 of the project is for independent X- and Ka-band receive-only tests. Phase 2 of the project is for simultaneous S- (2.3 GHz) and X-band or X- and Ka-band operation, and the design is currently under way.

Veruttipong, T.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Atmospheric refraction correction for Ka-band blind pointing on the DSS-13 beam waveguide antenna

An analysis of the atmospheric refraction corrections at the DSS-13 34-m diameter beam waveguide (BWG) antenna for the period Jul. - Dec. 1990 is presented. The current Deep Space Network (DSN) atmospheric refraction model and its sensitivity with respect to sensor accuracy are reviewed. Refraction corrections based on actual atmospheric parameters are compared with the DSS-13 station default corrections for the six-month period. Average blind-pointing improvement during the worst month would have amounted to 5 mdeg at 10 deg elevation using actual surface weather values. This would have resulted in an average gain improvement of 1.1 dB.

Perez-Borroto, I. M.↗
NASA NTRS1994

A New Technique for Vernier Pointing of a Beam-Waveguide Antenna

This paper presents a new and simple approach for the Ka-band vernier pointing of a 34m beam-waveguide (BWG) antenna (also applicable to a 70m antenna. In this study, rotation of a BWG flat mirror, located at the elevation axis, is used to scan the beam instead of using the very large tipping structure of the antenna.

antenna pointing vernier pointing beam-waveguide K↗
NASA NTRS1992

DSS-13 beam waveguide antenna frequency stability

Measurements made on the frequency stability of the DSS-13 34-m diameter Beam Waveguide (BWG) antenna showed that at 46.5 and 37 deg elevation angles, the BWG antenna stability at 12.2 GHz was between 1.3 and 2.2 x 10(exp -15) for tau = 1024 sec and good weather conditions. These frequency stability values apply to the portion of the antenna that includes the main reflector, subreflector, tripod legs, and the six BWG mirrors. The test results reported are believed to be the first known successful measurements of the stability of the microwave optics portion of a large antenna to a level of 1 or 2 parts in 10(exp 15).

Otoshi, T. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1992

A new analysis of beam waveguide antennas considering the presence of the metal enclosure

Large beam waveguide (BWG) type ground station antennas are generally designed using analysis which ignores the presence of the metallic tube enclosing the beam waveguide mirrors. The common analysis approaches are physical optics and Gaussian mode analyses. The weakness of these analyses is that they do not shed any light with regards to the effect of the metal tube. In this paper, the first known BWG analysis which considers the presence of the metal tube is presented. Numerical results of a two-mirror system using the new analysis are compared with experiments which have verified the new analysis.

Cha, Alan G.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Portable microwave test packages for beam-waveguide antenna performance evaluations

Portable microwave test packages used to evaluate a new 34-m-diameter beam-waveguide (BWG) antenna are described. The experimental methodology involved transporting test packages to different focal points of the BWG system and making noise temperature, antenna efficiency, and holography measurements. Comparisons of data measured at the different focal points enabled determinations of performance degradations caused by various mirrors in the BWG system. It is shown that, due to remarkable stabilities and accuracies of radiometric data obtained through the use of the microwave test packages, degradations caused by the BWG system were successfully determined.

Otoshi, Tom Y.↗
NASA NTRS1995

The efficiency calibration of the DSS-24 34-meter beam-waveguide antenna

Microwave performance testing of the new Deep Space Station (DSS)-24 34-m-diameter antenna was carried out during the summer of 1994. Efficiency measurements were made at the 8.45 GHz (X-band) and 32-GHz (ka-band) frequencies both at the antenna Cassegrian (f1) and beam-waveguide (f3) focal points. In addition, the antenna f3 efficiencies were measured on the DSS-24 operational 2.295-GHz (S-band) and 8.45-Ghz feeds. This article presents the efficiency determinations as a function of elevation angle along with a corresponding error analysis of the measurements. Peak measured gains and efficiencies are tabulated for all frequencies.

Alvarez, L. S.↗