Method and apparatus for radio frequency beam pointing

An RF beam pointing apparatus for compensating for the effects of settling errors on antenna pointing, the beam pointing apparatus comprising:

• a satellite attitude reference system generating an antenna attitude output based on a current satellite attitude, the antenna attitude output representative of an attitude of an antenna electronically steerable in at least one dimension;
• attitude comparison circuitry, coupled to the attitude reference system;
• control circuitry, coupled to the attitude reference system and the attitude comparison circuitry, the control circuitry directing the attitude comparison circuitry to generate attitude control error output signals in response to dynamic settling antenna pointing errors induced by a mechanical slew on the satellite;
• and
• an electronic beam pointing system coupled to the control circuitry and to the antenna for steering the antenna in response to the attitude control error output signals to reduce the dynamic settling antenna pointing errors to within a predetermined pointing accuracy for nominal operation.

A satellite providing enhanced antenna pointing capabilities, the satellite comprising:

• an antenna electronically steerable in at least one dimension;
• a mechanical beam pointing system;
• a satellite attitude reference system generating an antenna attitude output based on a current satellite attitude;
• attitude comparison circuitry, coupled to the attitude reference system;
• control circuitry, coupled to the attitude reference system and the attitude comparison circuitry, the control circuitry directing the attitude comparison circuitry to generate control error output signals in response to dynamic settling induced antenna pointing errors induced by a mechanical slew on the satellite;
• and
• an electronic beam pointing system coupled to the attitude comparison circuitry and to the antenna for steering the antenna in response to the antenna pointing error signals to reduce the dynamic settling induced antenna pointing errors to within a predetermined pointing accuracy for nominal operation.