Membrane antenna for sar satellite

The latest generation of SAR satellites, such as RADARSAT-2, carry a large SAR payload with a mass of almost 850 kg which occupies a stowed envelope close to seven cubic meters. Antenna mass and stowed envelope are important drivers in the choice of the size of a spacecraft, as well as in the choice of a launcher. A SAR membrane antenna offers the possibility of realizing extremely lightweight, large aperture antennas having a very small stowed volume (less than 250 kg payload mass, less than one cubic meter stowed volume). This type of antenna could be implemented on a small satellite at a much lower cost. Such a SAR membrane antenna is being developed by EMS Technologies with the support of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).