Abstract: An antenna system 10 for a communications satellite which transmits and receives communications from ground based devices. The system includes an antenna array 16 containing a plurality of feed elements 18 which cooperate to receive or transmit coverage beams arranged in a circular layout at a coverage area in a far-field region proximate the surface of the earth. The feed elements 18 are arranged in a non-circular layout within the antenna array 16. This system further includes a beam forming network 14 for mapping coverage beam signals onto feed signals which drive the antenna array 16. The beam forming network 14 includes a beam forming matrix 28 and a beam connecting network 30. The beam connecting network 30 separates each coverage beam signal into a plurality of component signals weighted to have differing amplitudes from one another.