Post by Antesky Vicky on Nov 26th, 2025 at 7:27am
1. Characteristics and Communication Requirements of LEO Satellites
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites operate at altitudes of 300–1500 km. Their key characteristics include:
Short orbital period: approximately 1.5 hours per orbit;
Limited coverage: each satellite covers a small area;
High relative speed: approximately 7.8 km/s.
These characteristics present the following challenges for ground station communications with LEO satellites:
Short visibility window: a single LEO satellite is visible to a ground station for only about 10 minutes (e.g., a 500 km altitude satellite has a sub-satellite track covering ~3000 km), requiring rapid acquisition and tracking;
Signal attenuation: although the distance to the ground is short (300–1500 km), a high-gain directional antenna is still required to ensure sufficient signal strength;
High dynamic pointing requirements: the satellite’s high speed necessitates real-time beam adjustments to maintain alignment with the satellite.
2. Definition and Function of XY-Axis Satellite Antennas
An XY-axis satellite antenna (also called a dual-axis antenna) adjusts the beam direction via azimuth (X-axis) and elevation (Y-axis) rotation. Its core function is dynamic satellite tracking, ensuring the beam always points to the target satellite, maintaining communication stability in high-dynamic scenarios.
Compared with traditional single-axis antennas, XY-axis antennas offer:
Higher pointing accuracy: independent azimuth and elevation adjustment to track satellite movement in the XY plane;
Faster tracking speed: dual-axis linkage responds quickly to satellite position changes, meeting the needs of high-speed LEO satellites;
Wider coverage: covers the entire satellite visibility window, avoiding blind spots of single-axis antennas.
3. Synergy Between LEO Satellites and XY-Axis Satellite Antennas
XY-axis satellite antennas are key ground terminal devices for LEO satellite communication systems, designed specifically around LEO characteristics:
Dynamic tracking: adjusts the azimuth (X-axis) for east-west direction and elevation (Y-axis) for north-south direction. Ground stations can calculate future azimuth and elevation sequences based on satellite ephemerides (e.g., TLE data) to drive the antenna along a pre-defined trajectory, ensuring the beam always points to the satellite.
High-precision pointing: although LEO satellites are close, high-gain directional antennas are still required. XY-axis antennas use high-precision angle encoding (resolver precision ≤5”) and system error correction (e.g., gravity deformation, non-level base) to control pointing error within 10”, meeting Ka-band narrow beamwidth requirements and preventing signal degradation.
Multi-satellite switching: LEO constellations (e.g., Starlink, OneWeb) require multiple satellites to provide continuous coverage. XY-axis antennas can quickly switch to the next satellite to ensure uninterrupted communication.
Adaptation to LEO terminal requirements: user terminals require compactness and easy installation. XY-axis antennas can be integrated into vehicle-mounted, airborne, or fixed terminals. For example, OneWeb terminals adopt XY-axis phased array antennas that integrate satellite modem, LTE/3G, and Wi-Fi, providing convenient Internet access for users.
4. Key Technologies of XY-Axis Satellite Antennas
To meet LEO satellites communication requirements, XY-axis antennas incorporate:
High-precision angle encoding: resolver + RDC converter for pointing accuracy within 10”;
System error correction: calibration of encoder zero position, gravity deformation, and non-orthogonality of azimuth/elevation axes;
Composite control: PID algorithm + feedforward compensation to enhance dynamic tracking performance;
Rapid acquisition and continuous tracking: “prediction + correction” closed-loop process for fast satellite signal acquisition and continuous tracking.
5. Optimization of Antesky 1.8 m / 2.4 m XY-Axis Parabolic Antenna Terminals
Antesky 1.8 m and 2.4 m XY-axis parabolic antennas (fixed or transportable) are specially optimized in structure, control accuracy, and integration, fully meeting LEO terminal requirements:
High-gain parabolic structure
Lightweight, high-rigidity reflector with precision machining to ensure surface accuracy. Excellent beam performance across multiple bands (S, X, Ku, Ka) ensures high SNR and low BER during fast satellite passes.
XY dual-axis drive system
Azimuth (X-axis) + elevation (Y-axis) structure with high-speed servo motors and high-resolution resolvers, covering ±180° azimuth and 0–90° elevation, enabling blind-spot-free tracking.
Modular and lightweight design
Servo control units, RF front-end, and reflector modules are modular and combinable. Carbon-fiber reflectors + aluminum alloy support reduce overall weight by ~30% compared to traditional antennas, facilitating mobile terminals and field deployment.
Intelligent control and remote operation
High-performance ACU supports automatic acquisition, closed-loop tracking, and ephemeris-based predictive control. Multiple interfaces (Ethernet, serial, CAN) enable system integration, remote monitoring, status reporting, and self-diagnosis.
Seamless multi-satellite switching
Built-in satellite task management module calculates and switches to the next satellite before current signal fades, ensuring uninterrupted links and enhanced LEO satellites constellation service continuity.
Contact Us
Thank you for your interest in our XY-axis parabolic satellite antennas,which is mainly used for tracking LEO satellites. For more information on products, technical specifications, or customized solutions, please contact:
email: sales@antesky.com
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites operate at altitudes of 300–1500 km. Their key characteristics include:
Short orbital period: approximately 1.5 hours per orbit;
Limited coverage: each satellite covers a small area;
High relative speed: approximately 7.8 km/s.
These characteristics present the following challenges for ground station communications with LEO satellites:
Short visibility window: a single LEO satellite is visible to a ground station for only about 10 minutes (e.g., a 500 km altitude satellite has a sub-satellite track covering ~3000 km), requiring rapid acquisition and tracking;
Signal attenuation: although the distance to the ground is short (300–1500 km), a high-gain directional antenna is still required to ensure sufficient signal strength;
High dynamic pointing requirements: the satellite’s high speed necessitates real-time beam adjustments to maintain alignment with the satellite.
2. Definition and Function of XY-Axis Satellite Antennas
An XY-axis satellite antenna (also called a dual-axis antenna) adjusts the beam direction via azimuth (X-axis) and elevation (Y-axis) rotation. Its core function is dynamic satellite tracking, ensuring the beam always points to the target satellite, maintaining communication stability in high-dynamic scenarios.
Compared with traditional single-axis antennas, XY-axis antennas offer:
Higher pointing accuracy: independent azimuth and elevation adjustment to track satellite movement in the XY plane;
Faster tracking speed: dual-axis linkage responds quickly to satellite position changes, meeting the needs of high-speed LEO satellites;
Wider coverage: covers the entire satellite visibility window, avoiding blind spots of single-axis antennas.
3. Synergy Between LEO Satellites and XY-Axis Satellite Antennas
XY-axis satellite antennas are key ground terminal devices for LEO satellite communication systems, designed specifically around LEO characteristics:
Dynamic tracking: adjusts the azimuth (X-axis) for east-west direction and elevation (Y-axis) for north-south direction. Ground stations can calculate future azimuth and elevation sequences based on satellite ephemerides (e.g., TLE data) to drive the antenna along a pre-defined trajectory, ensuring the beam always points to the satellite.
High-precision pointing: although LEO satellites are close, high-gain directional antennas are still required. XY-axis antennas use high-precision angle encoding (resolver precision ≤5”) and system error correction (e.g., gravity deformation, non-level base) to control pointing error within 10”, meeting Ka-band narrow beamwidth requirements and preventing signal degradation.
Multi-satellite switching: LEO constellations (e.g., Starlink, OneWeb) require multiple satellites to provide continuous coverage. XY-axis antennas can quickly switch to the next satellite to ensure uninterrupted communication.
Adaptation to LEO terminal requirements: user terminals require compactness and easy installation. XY-axis antennas can be integrated into vehicle-mounted, airborne, or fixed terminals. For example, OneWeb terminals adopt XY-axis phased array antennas that integrate satellite modem, LTE/3G, and Wi-Fi, providing convenient Internet access for users.
4. Key Technologies of XY-Axis Satellite Antennas
To meet LEO satellites communication requirements, XY-axis antennas incorporate:
High-precision angle encoding: resolver + RDC converter for pointing accuracy within 10”;
System error correction: calibration of encoder zero position, gravity deformation, and non-orthogonality of azimuth/elevation axes;
Composite control: PID algorithm + feedforward compensation to enhance dynamic tracking performance;
Rapid acquisition and continuous tracking: “prediction + correction” closed-loop process for fast satellite signal acquisition and continuous tracking.
5. Optimization of Antesky 1.8 m / 2.4 m XY-Axis Parabolic Antenna Terminals
Antesky 1.8 m and 2.4 m XY-axis parabolic antennas (fixed or transportable) are specially optimized in structure, control accuracy, and integration, fully meeting LEO terminal requirements:
High-gain parabolic structure
Lightweight, high-rigidity reflector with precision machining to ensure surface accuracy. Excellent beam performance across multiple bands (S, X, Ku, Ka) ensures high SNR and low BER during fast satellite passes.
XY dual-axis drive system
Azimuth (X-axis) + elevation (Y-axis) structure with high-speed servo motors and high-resolution resolvers, covering ±180° azimuth and 0–90° elevation, enabling blind-spot-free tracking.
Modular and lightweight design
Servo control units, RF front-end, and reflector modules are modular and combinable. Carbon-fiber reflectors + aluminum alloy support reduce overall weight by ~30% compared to traditional antennas, facilitating mobile terminals and field deployment.
Intelligent control and remote operation
High-performance ACU supports automatic acquisition, closed-loop tracking, and ephemeris-based predictive control. Multiple interfaces (Ethernet, serial, CAN) enable system integration, remote monitoring, status reporting, and self-diagnosis.
Seamless multi-satellite switching
Built-in satellite task management module calculates and switches to the next satellite before current signal fades, ensuring uninterrupted links and enhanced LEO satellites constellation service continuity.
Contact Us
Thank you for your interest in our XY-axis parabolic satellite antennas,which is mainly used for tracking LEO satellites. For more information on products, technical specifications, or customized solutions, please contact:
email: sales@antesky.com