All-Weather Earth Station Satellite Communication Antennas

The successful TELSTAR® and Relay satellite experiments have led to consideration of the equipment and techniques t h a t might be incorporated in future commercial and military satellite communication systems. The experiments re-emphasized two facts that had been recognized for some time: (1.) that worthwhile improvement in the earth station receiver sensitivity could be obtained by elimination of the antenna radome, and (2.) that an important practical improvement would be brought about by the location of the communication and tracking equipment on a platform that does not move with the antenna. These improvements can be achieved by special design of the antenna itself, as indicated in the subsequent papers in this issue. Here the major considerations which motivated that work are reviewed.