Design, manufacturing and testing of a Ku/Ka dichroic subreflector for space communications

In the frame of an ESA-ESTEC Technological Development Program (ASTP-3), Alenia Spazio has designed, manufactured and qualified a 1 meter diameter dichroic subreflector for multifrequency antennas working at Ku and Ka frequency bands. A description of the configuration as well as design assumptions for electromagnetic and thermomechanical aspects are presented. The engineering efforts involved in materials selection and manufacturing processes are also presented. The most important results of the performed qualification campaign are presented for sinusoidal and random vibrations and thermal cycling tests. Furthermore a comparison between physical/ environmental requirements, predictions and achieved results is presented.