Design and Dynamic Analysis of Deployable Mesh Reflector Antennas for CubeSat
Document Type : selected article
Authors
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST), Tehran, Iran
2
Satellite Research Institute, Iranian Space Research Center
3
Department of Mechanical Engineering, K.N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
In the depths of space, inherent challenges arising from long distances and harsh environmental conditions require advanced technologies to overcome these obstacles and enhance space communications. This paper presents an innovative method for designing reflector antennas using the deployable mesh reflector mechanism, which operates in the X and Ka bands. By leveraging the advantages of a dynamic network structure, this approach provides unparalleled flexibility in adapting to various dimensions of space structures. The proposed mesh reflector antenna is collapsible in three-dimensional space (3U), significantly easing its transportation. After releasing of satellite into orbit and by utilizing the specified mechanisms, the antenna expands up to 1 meter, thereby offering a broader coverage area for information exchange. Precise dynamic analyses demonstrate that the designed mechanism, without the use of stepper motors and with the incorporation of dampers and springs, enables controlled antenna deployment with suitable speed and torque. This, in turn, minimizes vibrations and disturbances to the satellite, enhancing stability during operations. The innovative method holds significant potential for improving the quality and efficiency of information transmission in deep space and can substantially contribute to advancements in space technology. Its applications span a wide range of space domains, including communication satellites, navigation, and remote sensing, heralding remarkable developments in this field
Keywords
Subjects
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[7] M. A. Hossain, I. Bahceci, and B. A. Cetiner, ‘‘Parasitic layer-based radiation pattern reconfigurable antenna for 5G communications,’’ IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., vol. 65, no. 12, pp. 6444–6452, Dec. 2017.
[8] A CubeSat for Calibrating Ground-Based and Sub-OrbitalMillimeter-Wave Polarimeters (CalSat)
[9] l-Yasir et al., ‘‘A new polarization-reconfigurable antenna for 5G applications,’’ Electronics, vol. 7, no. 11, p. 293, 2018.
[10] I. B. Mabrouk, M. Al-Hasan, M. Nedil, T. A. Denidni, and A. Sebak, ‘‘A novel design of radiation pattern-reconfigurable antenna system for millimeter-wave 5G applications,’’ IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., vol. 68, no. 4, pp. 2585–2592, Apr. 2020.
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[12] Y. Al-Yasir, N. O. Parchin, I. Elfergani, R. Abd-Alhameed, J. Noras, J. Rodriguez, A. Al-jzari, and W. Hammed, "A new polarization-reconfigurable antenna for 5G wireless communications," in Proc. 9th Int. Conf. Broadband Commun., Netw., and Syst., Faro, Portugal, Sep. 2018
[13] N. Chahat, R. E. Hodges, J. Sauder, M. Thomson, and Y. Rahmat-Samii, “The Deep-Space Network Telecommunication CubeSat Antenna: Using the deployable Ka-band mesh reflector antenna.,” IEEE Antennas Propag. Mag., vol. 59, no. 2, pp. 31–38, 2017.
[14] P. Focardi, P. Brown, and Y. Rahmat-Samii, “A 6-m mesh reflector antenna for SMAP: Modeling the RF performance of a challenging earth-orbiting instrument,” in 2011 IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation (APSURSI), 2011, pp. 2987–2990.
[15] R. Nie, B. He, S. Yan, and X. Ma, “Optimization design method for the cable network of mesh reflector antennas considering space thermal effects,” Aerosp. Sci. Technol., vol. 94, p. 105380, 2019.
[16] Safarabadi, M., and S. Bazargan. "Prediction of equivalent static loads act on a micro satellite via modal analysis." Engineering Solid Mechanics 3.2 (2015): 75-84.
[17] Safarabadi, M., H. Haghshenas, and H. Kelardeh. "Design of micro-vibration isolation system for a remote-sensing satellite payload using viscoelastic Materials." Engineering Solid Mechanics 8.1 (2020): 69-76.
[18] Emami, H. Farhani, O. and Safarabadi, M.. "Influence of modal effective mass distribution on the static and dynamic behavior of a satellite structure under base excitations." Material Science Research of India 5.2 (2008): 209-218.
[19] M. R. V. Moghadam, and M. Shariyat, "Investigation of a micro satellite structural properties on its effective vibration modes," in Proc. 5th International Conference on Acoustics and Vibration (ICAV), Tehran, Iran, 2015.
[20] Roosta, M. R., and Safarabadi, M.. "Study of mass reduction possibility of a cubic microsatellite by replacing isogrid structure with sandwich panel structure using finite element analysis." Modares Mechanical Engineering 16.9 (2016): 241-248.
[21] G. Yang, D. Yang, Y. Zhang, and J. Du, "Form-finding design of cable-mesh reflector antennas with minimal length configuration," Aerospace Science and Technology, vol. 63, pp. 9–17, 2017. doi: 10.1016/j.ast.2016.11.010.
[22] S. K. Podilchak, D. Comite, B. K. Montgomery, Y. Li, V. Gomez-Guillamon Buendia, and Y. M. M. Antar, "Solar-panel integrated circularly polarized meshed patch for CubeSats and other small satellites," IEEE Access, vol. 7, pp. 104806–104814, 2019.
[23] M. W. Thomson, "ASTROMESH™ deployable reflectors for Ku- and Ka-band commercial satellites," 20th AIAA International Communication Satellite Systems Conference and Exhibit, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 12-15 May 2002, p. 2032
[24] V. Manohar, "Electromagnetic characterizations of mesh deployable Ka-band reflector antennas for emerging CubeSats," Ph.D. dissertation, University of California, Los Angeles, 2016.
[25] L. Zhao, J. Liu, D. Yang, and Y. Li, "Uniform-tension form-finding design for asymmetric cable-mesh deployable reflector antennas," Mathematical Problems in Engineering, vol. 2016, Article ID 45158, 2016.
[26] محمد سالاری، "طراحی و ساخت مکانیزمهای حرکتی آنتن یک ماهواره مخابراتی"، مجله علوم و فناوری فضایی، تابستان ۱۳۹۵، دانشکده فنی و مهندسی قم.
[2] Y. Tsuda, N. Sako, T. Eishima, T. Ito, Y. Arikawa, N. Miyamura, A. Tanaka, S. Nakasuka, “University of Tokyo’s CubeSat Project-Its Educational and Technological Significance,” in Proceedings of the 15th Annual AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites, Logan, UT, USA, 13–16 August 2001.
[3] F. Tubbal, R. Raad, K.-W. Chin, L. Matekovits, B. Butters, and G. Dassano, “A high gain S-band slot antenna with MSS for CubeSat,” Annals of Telecommunications, vol. 74, no. 3–4, pp. 223–237, Nov. 2018.
[4] Y. Yin, M. Lv, L. Ma, and X. Sun, ‘‘Research on the development of frequency reconfigurable antenna and polarization reconfigurable antenna,’’ IOP Conf. Ser., Earth Environ. Sci., vol.242, Mar.2019,Art. no. 022051.
[5] Al-Yasir et al., ‘‘A new polarization-reconfigurable antenna for 5G applications,’’ Electronics, vol. 7, no. 11, p. 293, 2018.
[6] I. B. Mabrouk, M. Al-Hasan, M. Nedil, T. A. Denidni, and A. Sebak, ‘‘A novel design of radiation pattern-reconfigurable antenna system for millimeter-wave 5G applications,’’ IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., vol. 68, no. 4, pp. 2585–2592, Apr. 2020.
[7] M. A. Hossain, I. Bahceci, and B. A. Cetiner, ‘‘Parasitic layer-based radiation pattern reconfigurable antenna for 5G communications,’’ IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., vol. 65, no. 12, pp. 6444–6452, Dec. 2017.
[8] A CubeSat for Calibrating Ground-Based and Sub-OrbitalMillimeter-Wave Polarimeters (CalSat)
[9] l-Yasir et al., ‘‘A new polarization-reconfigurable antenna for 5G applications,’’ Electronics, vol. 7, no. 11, p. 293, 2018.
[10] I. B. Mabrouk, M. Al-Hasan, M. Nedil, T. A. Denidni, and A. Sebak, ‘‘A novel design of radiation pattern-reconfigurable antenna system for millimeter-wave 5G applications,’’ IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., vol. 68, no. 4, pp. 2585–2592, Apr. 2020.
[11] J. R. Piepmeier et al., “SMAP L-band microwave radiometer: Instrument design and first year on orbit,” IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens., vol. 55, no. 4, pp. 1954–1966, 2017.
[12] Y. Al-Yasir, N. O. Parchin, I. Elfergani, R. Abd-Alhameed, J. Noras, J. Rodriguez, A. Al-jzari, and W. Hammed, "A new polarization-reconfigurable antenna for 5G wireless communications," in Proc. 9th Int. Conf. Broadband Commun., Netw., and Syst., Faro, Portugal, Sep. 2018
[13] N. Chahat, R. E. Hodges, J. Sauder, M. Thomson, and Y. Rahmat-Samii, “The Deep-Space Network Telecommunication CubeSat Antenna: Using the deployable Ka-band mesh reflector antenna.,” IEEE Antennas Propag. Mag., vol. 59, no. 2, pp. 31–38, 2017.
[14] P. Focardi, P. Brown, and Y. Rahmat-Samii, “A 6-m mesh reflector antenna for SMAP: Modeling the RF performance of a challenging earth-orbiting instrument,” in 2011 IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation (APSURSI), 2011, pp. 2987–2990.
[15] R. Nie, B. He, S. Yan, and X. Ma, “Optimization design method for the cable network of mesh reflector antennas considering space thermal effects,” Aerosp. Sci. Technol., vol. 94, p. 105380, 2019.
[16] Safarabadi, M., and S. Bazargan. "Prediction of equivalent static loads act on a micro satellite via modal analysis." Engineering Solid Mechanics 3.2 (2015): 75-84.
[17] Safarabadi, M., H. Haghshenas, and H. Kelardeh. "Design of micro-vibration isolation system for a remote-sensing satellite payload using viscoelastic Materials." Engineering Solid Mechanics 8.1 (2020): 69-76.
[18] Emami, H. Farhani, O. and Safarabadi, M.. "Influence of modal effective mass distribution on the static and dynamic behavior of a satellite structure under base excitations." Material Science Research of India 5.2 (2008): 209-218.
[19] M. R. V. Moghadam, and M. Shariyat, "Investigation of a micro satellite structural properties on its effective vibration modes," in Proc. 5th International Conference on Acoustics and Vibration (ICAV), Tehran, Iran, 2015.
[20] Roosta, M. R., and Safarabadi, M.. "Study of mass reduction possibility of a cubic microsatellite by replacing isogrid structure with sandwich panel structure using finite element analysis." Modares Mechanical Engineering 16.9 (2016): 241-248.
[21] G. Yang, D. Yang, Y. Zhang, and J. Du, "Form-finding design of cable-mesh reflector antennas with minimal length configuration," Aerospace Science and Technology, vol. 63, pp. 9–17, 2017. doi: 10.1016/j.ast.2016.11.010.
[22] S. K. Podilchak, D. Comite, B. K. Montgomery, Y. Li, V. Gomez-Guillamon Buendia, and Y. M. M. Antar, "Solar-panel integrated circularly polarized meshed patch for CubeSats and other small satellites," IEEE Access, vol. 7, pp. 104806–104814, 2019.
[23] M. W. Thomson, "ASTROMESH™ deployable reflectors for Ku- and Ka-band commercial satellites," 20th AIAA International Communication Satellite Systems Conference and Exhibit, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 12-15 May 2002, p. 2032
[24] V. Manohar, "Electromagnetic characterizations of mesh deployable Ka-band reflector antennas for emerging CubeSats," Ph.D. dissertation, University of California, Los Angeles, 2016.
[25] L. Zhao, J. Liu, D. Yang, and Y. Li, "Uniform-tension form-finding design for asymmetric cable-mesh deployable reflector antennas," Mathematical Problems in Engineering, vol. 2016, Article ID 45158, 2016.
[26] محمد سالاری، "طراحی و ساخت مکانیزمهای حرکتی آنتن یک ماهواره مخابراتی"، مجله علوم و فناوری فضایی، تابستان ۱۳۹۵، دانشکده فنی و مهندسی قم.
Volume 4, Issue 2
March 2025Pages 91-104
- Receive Date 05 August 2024
- Revise Date 11 December 2024
- Accept Date 06 January 2025