The objective is to study possible antenna concepts for Wavemill instrument and manufacture a breadbord for the most promising concept.

Based on an ESA feasibility study, the Wavemill concept has shown that extremely interesting results can be achieved in terms of ocean current retrieval for both velocity and direction. There is a strong interest for optimising the antenna architecture and demonstrating feasibility and performance. Among possible antenna architectures, the javelin concept looks interesting since it can provide the required along- and across-track baselines with a compact spacecraft at launch having a nearly optimal configuration for AOCS (long and thin in flight direction). This design calls for an antenna capable of producing up to four squinted beams with a swath width of around 100km at an incidence angle of 25 degrees. The antenna as a key component needs to be elaborated and simulated in order to make possible the Wavemill concept. Due attention shall be given to space qualified technologies and lessons learnt from previous programs.The following tasks shall be performed:- A literature search shall be done to investigate possible antenna architectures, materials and technologies- Antenna architectures/concepts shall be proposed while meeting overall system requirements, stability requirements, deployment requirements and launcher accomodation constraints.- A trade off analysis shall be performed and one antenna architecture/concept shall be selected for further detailed analysis.- A detailed analysis (RF, mechanical , thermal) for the selected architecture shall be carried out. - A breadboard of the selected antenna concept shall be manufactured and RF tested.Deliverables:1/Literature search/state of the art,2/Instrument and antenna specification, 3/Tradeoff analysis report,4/Detailed analysis reports for the selected antenna concept 5/Antenna BBM manufacturing and testing. The antenna model shall be delivered in CDF compatible format.