3POD Antenna Pointing Mechanism
Comat
Tripod antenna pointing mechanism for Ø220 mm high-gain X-band parabolic antennas with 1 deg accuracy, 3 DOF (Az/El/Zoom), 360 deg azimuth, and 10-year LEO lifetime.
Technical specifications
- Pointing Accuracy
- 1 deg (worst case)
- Maximum Pointing Speed
- 5 deg/s (tracking mode)
- Elevation Range
- +/-74 deg
- Azimuth
- 360 deg continuous
- Data Rate
- 2 Gbps (<1.5 dB insertion loss)
- Initialization Time
- <15 seconds
- Station Transition
- 8 s average / 25 s worst case
- Orbital Lifetime
- 10 years (LEO)
About
The Comat 3POD is an innovative tripod antenna pointing mechanism developed with CNES, designed to orient a 220 mm high-gain parabolic X-band antenna for Earth observation satellites. Its parallel architecture (3 stationary actuators on the baseplate) delivers very low jitter and 3 degrees of freedom (Azimuth, Elevation, Zoom). Supports dual polarization via 2 RF cables without slip rings. Provides 2 Gbps data throughput with less than 1.5 dB insertion loss. Station transition in 8 s average. ITAR-free, ECSS-compliant.
Documentation
No public datasheet yet — request the datasheet / ICD from the supplier.
