Cassegrain antenna
![Types of parabolic antenna](/Images/godic/202501/03/Parabolic_antenna_types2.svg5418.png")
![A beam waveguide antenna, a type of Cassegrain design, showing the complicated signal path.](/Images/godic/202501/03/Picture_bwg5418.gif")
![Cassegrain satellite communication antenna in Sweden. The convex secondary reflector can be seen suspended above the dish, and the feed horn is visible projecting from the center of the dish.Closeup of the convex secondary reflector in a large satellite communications antenna in Pleumeur-Bodou, FranceCassegrain spacecraft communication antenna in Canberra, Australia, part of NASA's Deep Space Network. The advantage of the Cassegrain design is that the heavy complicated feed structure (bottom) doesn't have to be suspended over the dish.Cassegrain antenna on the Voyager spacecraft](/Images/godic/202501/03/Antenna_035418.JPG")
![](/Images/godic/202501/03/100_33765418.JPG")
In telecommunications and radar, a Cassegrain antenna is a parabolic antenna in which the feed antenna is mounted at or behind the surface of the concave main parabolic reflector dish and is aimed at a smaller convex secondary reflector suspended in front of the primary reflector. The beam of radio waves from the feed illuminates the secondary reflector, which reflects it back to the main reflector dish, which reflects it forward again to form the desired beam. The Cassegrain design is widely used in parabolic antennas, particularly in large antennas such as those in satellite ground stations, radio telescopes, and communication satellites.