Design and implementation of high-rigidity and high-precision satellite antenna rotating unit

Abstract

Abstract The satellite antenna rotating unit is an important component that drives the satellite antenna to rotate in orbit, mainly composed of a stepper motor, harmonic reducer, and rotating transformer. This type of rotating unit has the advantages of small size, lightweight, high-rated output torque, and long rotating life. The high-stiffness and high-precision satellite antenna rotation unit is based on the existing antenna rotation unit. Through comprehensive improvement design, the measured closed-loop control has a rotation accuracy of better than 0.005°, a torsional stiffness of better than 6.5 Nm/(Å), a rotation accuracy of 6 times higher than the existing antenna rotation unit, a torsional stiffness increase of 13 times, and a rated output torque increase of 2.4 times. The article introduces the development of components, measurement of torsional stiffness, and measurement of rotational accuracy for the high-stiffness and high-precision satellite antenna rotating unit. Finally, the development conclusion is given. The successful development of a high-stiffness and high-precision satellite-borne antenna rotation unit can not only meet the precise pointing control requirements of the mechanical movable antennas and terahertz antennas of the narrow beam with a width of 0.2° but also solve practical problems such as jitter in ground testing of data transmission or relay antennas and unstable pointing of point beam antennas in orbit.