A Novel Design of Deep Space 25KW Water-cooled Feeder at X-band and High Power Test Campaign Aspects

Abstract

Future deep-space missions will generate increasing quantities of data from hundreds of millions of kilometres, requiring much higher RF power level as well as higher frequency bands to increase data transmission capacity. The European Space Agency (ESA) operates a network S/X/Ka-band antennas for Telemetry, Tracking and Command (TT&C) operations of different categories of spacecraft. Present ESA Deep Space Stations are (DSS) equipped with a 20 KW X Band High Power Amplifier (HPA). Future missions will demand larger uplink power levels, for distant spacecraft or for critical phases like entry descending and landing or for emergency situations of missions. This paper presents a part of the work done in the frame of an ESA TRP activity "X-band Cryogenic Feed Prototyping". The emphasis is given on development of the transmitting part that has to deal with minimum 25KW of RF power as well as on the preparation of the testing campaign. In order to prove target properties of the feeder, as a main task appears definition of the corona discharge and power handling test. A novel feeder concept is applied and developed with objective to provide a compact solution that offers superior properties as well as a simple interface with cryogenic receiver. The RF design of the feeder components is refined using SPARK3D software to assure absence of the corona discharge under operational conditions. The transmitting part of the feeder shall be equipped with fully integrated and efficient water-cooling system maintaining the complete system on the optimal temperature. The envisaged tests shall be performed in pressurized chamber with 1KW RF power.