Radio-Frequency design has been optimized to obtain the best link budget and the highest efficiency. A dual reflector ring focus antenna, fed by a corrugated feedhorn, ensures high efficiency and low sidelobes radiation patterns. A compact OMT (Ortho-Mode Transducer) with the associated filters allows to obtain the linear cross-polar polarization with the necessary Tx to Rx isolations. All the experience acquired designing multi-band systems has been used to create this RF architecture capable to fit in the limited available space. The overall result is a high efficiency and very compact RF subsystem.

Antenna Control Unit (ACU) has been specifically tailored on the antenna to take advantage of all the available space. All the electronic boards are self-contained in the moving part of the antenna, minimizing the impact in term of space and cable routing required to set-up the vehicle. The ACU is based on several modules that manage the motors, the attitude system, the tuner. All the modules are constantly monitored through dedicated hardware to implement the BIT functions, hardware watchdog is implemented to monitor critical failures of software or of the power supply system. Innovative algorithm based on hyper-complex mathematics, borrowed from astronautics attitude system, has been implemented to improve the pointing dynamics and delete uncertainties caused by heading drifting effects. All the Antenna parameters and diagnostic data are available through an intuitive and user-friendly web interface.