Satnews Daily
February 12th, 2018

HAPS Antenna Support from Communications and Power Industries (CPI)


The Antenna Systems Division (ASD) of Communications & Power Industries LLC (CPI) has introduced a GSA-39KaXY ground antenna providing the high pointing accuracy and reliability needed to support high-altitude pseudo-satellite (HAPS) applications. 

Operating at lower altitudes than satellites, HAPS can be less expensive to operate and more rapidly deployed, making them ideal for shorter-term usage, such as to support emergency communications during regional disaster relief efforts.  CPI ASD’s new antenna is designed to meet the needs of HAPS providers, who require a reliable high-performance antenna specifically created to provide connectivity to disaster recovery and digital inclusion applications.

The new ground-based Ka-band antenna extends CPI ASD’s broad product line of advanced antennas into the rapidly emerging generation of pseudo-satellites.  Recent studies have estimated that the HAPS market is expanding at a compound annual growth rate of more than 15 percent.

CPI ASD’s agile GSA-39KaXY Ka-band antenna is designed to operate in open air, rather than ensconced in a radome, with a range of reflectors from 0.90 to 1.5 meters in size, and using PC-based control with a P700 ACU.  CPI ASD designed high reliability and low maintenance into the antenna system from top to bottom.  The motorized pedestal provides high-output torque with ultra-low backlash through use of two-stage reduction gearboxes and brushless DC motors.  For added reliability, the pedestal is designed with servo amplifiers that offer protection for over-current, voltage and temperature.  CPI ASD also offers a range of mounting options for integration of customer-provided RF elements on the pedestal.
 
The CPI Antenna Systems Division portfolio (which includes CPI’s ASC Signal and Malibu brands) now extends across a broad range of products, systems and technologies, including earth station antenna systems (2.4m to 9.4m), LEO/MEO antenna systems, data link systems, telemetry systems and now HAPS systems.