Active electronically scanned array antenna for satellite communications

An electronically scanned array antenna. The novel antenna includes a first planar array of antenna elements and one or more side planar arrays of antenna elements, each side array adjacent to the first array and tilted at a predetermined angle relative to the first array. In an illustrative embodiment, the antenna also includes a plurality of transmit/receive modules, each module coupled to one antenna element. Each transmit/receive module includes phase shifters for varying the relative phases of the antenna elements to form a desired overall beam pattern, and a low noise amplifier and high power amplifier for amplifying signals received and transmitted by the antenna element, respectively. In an illustrative embodiment, a processor provides individual phase and channel enable control signals for independently controlling the phase shifters and amplifiers, respectively, of each module.