120 W, 32 GHZ TWT for payload data transmitter

•To demonstrate the feasibility of a TWT operating in the frequency range 31800-32300 MHz with 120 W saturated RF output power, 200 MHz instantaneous bandwidth and 65% overall efficiency (at saturation).(Enable an European source/supplier for high power Ka-band TWT, operating at 32GHz with 120W minimum saturated output power, 500MHz instantaneous bandwidth and 65% efficiency.)

New scientific missions require Ka-Band high power sources for the data return. Limitation on maximum antenna size and minimum required data rate can be overcome by increasing the transmitted power. At present, there is no off the shelf TWT(A) in the allocated frequency band (31800-32300 MHz) in Europe with 120W saturated output power. Instead, a 250W TWT in the range 17700 - 20200 MHz is under qualification and the feasibility of 100W TWT in the range 37500 - 42500 MHz has been recently demonstrated by test in a breadboard. These two TWTs represent the starting point for the new development. The new TWT shall consider the use of EPCs at TRL 5-6 or higher.