Hispasat and Astrium develop active Ku-band antenna

Satellite operator Hispasat and manufacturer Astrium have teamed up to develop what they say is Europe’s first actie Ku-band antenna.

According to Hispasat, the antenna will enable the Hispasat AG1 satellite to change coverage in orbit to adapt more efficiently to customers’ needs.

Hispasat AG1 is the first mission of the Small GEO platform, developed by OHB Systems Germany in partnership with the European Space Agency and Hispasat.

the DRA-ELSA reconfigurable antenna will be installed in the Hispasat AG1 satellite and includes four simultaneous beams in the Ku-band.

According to the operator, the main advantage of this new antenna is that it enables the operator to adapt to potential changes in the mission after the satellite has been launched such as the incorporation of new customers, a change in orbital position, and so on.

Thanks to this advanced and flexible antenna, the Hispasat AG1 satellite will have four beams that can be pointed at any Earth location, and it will be possible to modify both pointing and coverage throughout its useful life, the operator said.