Method to assemble aperture segments of a cylindrical feed antenna

1. A method of assembling an antenna aperture from a plurality of antenna aperture segments, comprising:

providing the plurality of antenna aperture segments, each of the plurality of antenna aperture segments comprising an overlap and an underlap wherein the overlap of each of the antenna aperture segments is complementary to the underlap of another of the antenna aperture segments;

placing a first aperture segment adjacent to a second aperture segment on a fixture assembly to partially form the antenna aperture, wherein the overlap of the first aperture segment overlaps the complementary underlap of the second aperture segment at a seam;

joining the overlap of the first aperture segment to the underlap of the second aperture segment to partially form the antenna aperture; and

placing and joining the rest of the plurality of antenna aperture segments to the partially formed antenna aperture to form the antenna aperture.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a conductor of a patch of the first aperture segment overlaps a conductor of an iris of the second aperture segment in an overlap region created when the first aperture segment is placed adjacent to the second aperture segment to partially form the antenna aperture.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the overlap of the first aperture segment comprises a patch glass and a patch metal under the patch glass, wherein each of the patch glass and the patch metal extend beyond a conductive seal joining the patch with an iris of the first aperture segment,

wherein the complementary underlap of the second aperture segment comprises an iris glass and an iris metal above the iris glass, wherein each of the iris glass and the iris metal extend beyond a conductive seal joining the iris with a patch of the second aperture segment; and

wherein the patch metal of the first aperture segment overlaps the iris metal of the second aperture segment in the overlap region when the first aperture segment is placed adjacent to the second aperture segment to partially form the antenna aperture.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein placing the first aperture segment relative to the second aperture segment further comprises:

placing the first aperture segment in a preliminary position on a surface of the fixture assembly;

aligning fiducial markings on the first aperture segment with corresponding fiducial markings on the surface of the fixture assembly to place the first aperture segment into a final position with respect to the antenna aperture;

lowering the first aperture segment onto the surface of the fixture assembly; and

holding the first aperture segment in the final position while other aperture segments are placed and aligned on the fixture assembly.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first aperture segment is placed in the preliminary position using retractable pins of the fixture assembly.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the fiducial markings on the first aperture segment are aligned with the corresponding fiducial markings on the surface of the fixture assembly using an optical system.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the fiducial markings on the first aperture segment are transparent or semitransparent.

8. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

repeating the placing, aligning, and holding for each aperture segment of the antenna aperture except for a last aperture segment;

placing the last aperture segment in a rough alignment with a corresponding set of fixture assembly fiducials;

moving and rotating the underlap of the last aperture segment into a negative space of the fixture assembly, wherein the negative space corresponds with an area under the overlap of an aperture segment with which the last aperture segment will be joined; and

lowering the last aperture segment to the surface of the fixture assembly when the movement and rotation causes fiducials of the last aperture segment to come into alignment with corresponding fiducials of the fixture assembly.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

placing each aperture segment of the antenna aperture on a surface of the fixture assembly, wherein each aperture segment is in a rotated position such that the underlap of each aperture segment is placed in an approximate final position of said aperture segment and the overlap is raised above the fixture assembly;

rotating and aligning each aperture segment into a final position, wherein the rotating and aligning lowers the overlap of each segment to form an overlap region with a corresponding underlap of an adjacent aperture segment, and wherein the alignment is based on fiducial markings of said each aperture with corresponding fiducial markings on the surface of the fixture assembly; and

holding each aperture segment in the final position.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the placing, rotating, and aligning of all of the plurality of aperture segments are performed simultaneously, or nearly simultaneously.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the overlap of the first aperture segment is bonded with an adhesive applied to the underlap of the second aperture segment, and wherein the adhesive acts as a barrier between an exterior of the antenna aperture and an interior of the antenna aperture at the seam.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the adhesive is a non-conductive adhesive.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the non-conductive adhesive forms a choke that prevents radio frequency (RF) leakage at the seam.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the adhesive is a conductive adhesive.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the conductive adhesive creates a contiguous ground plane between iris metal layers of joined aperture segments.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the adhesive is a time sensitive adhesive that forms a bond after a predetermined length of time, and wherein placing of all of the aperture segments of the plurality of aperture segments is completed before the predetermined length of time.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

holding all of the aperture segments of the plurality of aperture segments to the fixture assembly while the time sensitive adhesive cures; and

applying a consistent and uniform pressure to a surface of the aperture segments while the aperture segments are being held.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

after passage of the predetermined length of time, joining a protective structure to a surface of the antenna aperture.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the protective structure comprises one of a carrier structure, a Radio Frequency (RF) structure, or a radome structure.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the predetermined length of time comprises a length of time sufficient for the time sensitive adhesive to fully cure.

21. The method of claim 16 , wherein the predetermined length of time comprises a length of time sufficient to ensure stability of the bond between the first aperture segment and the second aperture segment, and less than a length of time sufficient for the time sensitive adhesive to fully cure.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antenna aperture is a cylindrical radio frequency (RF) antenna aperture formed by four identical aperture segment quadrants.