A spacecraft comprising: a payload subsystem, the payload subsystem including a close packed phased array of feed elements configured to illuminate an antenna reflector ; a beam forming network (BFN) disposed proximate to the array of feed elements; and a plurality of power amplifiers disposed between the BFN and the array of feed elements, wherein: the phased array of feed elements forms a plurality of beams, each beam being formed by a center feed element, and six edge feed elements adjacent to and surrounding the center feed element; the BFN includes a plurality of variable amplitude and phase (VAP) adjusting arrangements disposed between (i) m:1 power combiners that are communicatively coupled with the power amplifiers and (ii) at least one 1:n power splitter ; each VAP adjusting arrangement is communicatively coupled with a single respective one of the feed elements , and at least some of the feed elements are coupled with multiple VAP adjusting arrangements such that the payload subsystem includes more VAP adjusting arrangements than feed elements; each center feed element is communicatively coupled with a first VAP adjusting arrangement and each of the six edge feed elements is communicatively coupled by way of respective ones of the m:1 power combiners with at least two VAP adjusting arrangements associated with adjacent beams that share the edge feed element; and m is greater than 1, and n is greater than 2. a close packed phased array of feed elements configured to illuminate an antenna reflector ; a beam forming network (BFN) disposed proximate to the array of feed elements; and a plurality of power amplifiers disposed between the BFN and the array of feed elements, wherein: the phased array of feed elements forms a plurality of beams, each beam being formed by a center feed element, and six edge feed elements adjacent to and surrounding the center feed element; the BFN includes a plurality of variable amplitude and phase (VAP) adjusting arrangements disposed between (i) m:1 power combiners that are communicatively coupled with the power amplifiers and (ii) at least one 1:n power splitter ; each VAP adjusting arrangement is communicatively coupled with a single respective one of the feed elements , and at least some of the feed elements are coupled with multiple VAP adjusting arrangements such that the payload subsystem includes more VAP adjusting arrangements than feed elements; each center feed element is communicatively coupled with a first VAP adjusting arrangement and each of the six edge feed elements is communicatively coupled by way of respective ones of the m:1 power combiners with at least two VAP adjusting arrangements associated with adjacent beams that share the edge feed element; and m is greater than 1, and n is greater than 2. the phased array of feed elements forms a plurality of beams, each beam being formed by a center feed element, and six edge feed elements adjacent to and surrounding the center feed element; the BFN includes a plurality of variable amplitude and phase (VAP) adjusting arrangements disposed between (i) m:1 power combiners that are communicatively coupled with the power amplifiers and (ii) at least one 1:n power splitter ; each VAP adjusting arrangement is communicatively coupled with a single respective one of the feed elements , and at least some of the feed elements are coupled with multiple VAP adjusting arrangements such that the payload subsystem includes more VAP adjusting arrangements than feed elements; each center feed element is communicatively coupled with a first VAP adjusting arrangement and each of the six edge feed elements is communicatively coupled by way of respective ones of the m:1 power combiners with at least two VAP adjusting arrangements associated with adjacent beams that share the edge feed element; and m is greater than 1, and n is greater than 2. <EOS>