K-Band Traveling-Wave Tube Amplifier

A new space-qualified, high-power, high-efficiency, K-band traveling-wave tube amplifier (TWTA) will provide high-rate, high-capacity, direct-to-Earth communications for science data and video gathered by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) during its mission. Several technological advances were responsible for the successful demonstration of the K-band TWTA

High-Efficiency K-Band Space Traveling-Wave Tube Amplifier for Near-Earth High Data Rate Communications

The RF performance of a new K-Band helix conduction cooled traveling-wave tube amplifier (TWTA) is presented in this paper. A total of three such units were manufactured, tested and delivered. The first unit is currently flying onboard NASA s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft and has flawlessly completed over 2000 orbits around the Moon. The second unit is a proto-flight model. The third unit will fly onboard NASA s International Space Station (ISS) as a very compact and lightweight transmitter package for the Communications, Navigation and Networking Reconfigurable Testbed (CoNNeCT), which is scheduled for launch in 2011. These TWTAs were characterized over the frequencies 25.5 to 25.8 GHz. The saturated RF output power is >40 W and the saturated RF gain is >46 dB. The saturated AM-to- PM conversion is 3.5 /dB and the small signal gain ripple is 0.46 dB peak-to-peak. The overall efficiency of the TWTA, including that of the electronic power conditioner (EPC) is as high as 45 percent

K-Band TWTA for the NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

This paper presents the K-Band traveling wave tube amplifier (TWTA) developed for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and discusses the new capabilities it provides