Time-lapse footage of a prototype 2.6-m diameter metal-mesh antenna reflector arriving at ESA’s technical heart in the Netherlands for testing. The design represents a big step forward for the European space sector: versions can be manufactured to reproduce any surface pattern that antenna designers wish, something that was previously possible only with traditional solid antennas. ESA’s AMPER (Advanced techniques for mesh reflector with improved radiation pattern performance) project was performed with Large Space Structures GmbH in Germany as prime and TICRA in Denmark as subcontractor. The antenna is seen unboxed in the cleanroom conditions of the ESTEC Test Centre then deployed inside the Hertz antenna test chamber.
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Source: ESA Top Multimedia