Parsons unveils new satellite antenna aimed at military market
Parsons Corporation has introduced a new satellite antenna system tailored to military and national security space communications, unveiling a hybrid design that combines a full‑motion parabolic dish with an electronically steerable phased‑array feed to support demanding mission requirements. The six‑meter aperture antenna, developed with Raven Defense, is intended to provide enhanced command, control, telemetry and mission data support for government satellite operators, enabling simultaneous tracking and communication with multiple spacecraft from a single ground facility. Initial installations are part of Parsons’ broader OrbitXchange global antenna network infrastructure to strengthen operational capabilities for U.S. defense customers.
The antenna’s phased‑array feed enables multiple electronically steerable downlink beams alongside a dedicated uplink channel, increasing flexibility compared with traditional mechanical‑only ground terminals. This architecture allows operators to command and monitor several satellites concurrently, reducing the need for separate antennas or costly mechanical repointing during multi‑satellite operations. The hybrid design also supports retrofitting on existing ground stations and can scale to larger apertures for expanded frequency coverage and future cislunar or geosynchronous mission support.
Parsons’ entry into advanced ground antenna technology underscores a growing defense market emphasis on resilient, flexible satellite communications infrastructure that meets diverse mission sets in low Earth orbit and beyond. By integrating phased‑array steering with proven parabolic performance, the new system addresses operator demands for higher throughput, rapid tasking and reduced scheduling conflicts across defense satellite constellations and classified communications networks.
