Harris Corp. announced it has successfully completed multiple field demonstrations of a satellite antenna feed prototype that is capable of supporting selectable antenna polarization for orthogonal transmit and receive operations. The feed prototype achieved user data rates reaching an astounding 105 Mbps — more than 12 times the current satellite terminal capability — using a modified, Harris-built Lightweight High Gain X-band Antenna (LHGXA) and a modified AN/TSC-85C terminal operating over the recently launched XTAR-EUR commercial X-band satellite. The new selectable X-band polarization feed can be easily installed on existing LHGXA antennas and will be the standard offering on Harris’ newest tactical satellite antenna, the Large Aperture Multiband Deployable Antenna (LAMDA). The 4.9 m LAMDA supports satellite communications connectivity over commercial C- and Ku-band satellites, as well as both military X-band satellites (DSCS, WGS, NATO and SKYNET) and the new XTAR satellites. More than 125 LHGXA are currently on the DoD inventory, providing reliable, rugged, high performance and highly mobile satellite communications connectivity to military personnel worldwide. The user-friendly, large-aperture antenna, with its 4.9 m (16 ft) diameter reflector, has the equivalent performance characteristics (that is G/T, EIRP) of a 20-foot reflector due to its shaped offset-fed design. XTAR-EUR, built by Space Systems/Loral (SS/L), was launched in February 2005 and carries twelve 72 MHz, high power X-band transponders that provide coverage from Eastern Brazil and the Atlantic Ocean, across all of Europe, Africa and the Middle East to Singapore. It is expected to provide services for nearly 20 years and is fielded by XTAR LCC, a new satellite communications company committed to serving the long-haul communications, logistics and infrastructure requirements of the US allied governments.
