A Study on the Performance of Sleeve Dipole Antenna for Rashid Rover

This paper investigates the communication performance of a sleeve dipole antenna used in the Rashid rover, part of the Emirates Lunar Mission, at a frequency of 2.42 GHz. The proposed antenna serves as the primary antenna in the Rashid rover, and its communication performance is evaluated through various scenarios using a simulated model. Initially, a stand-alone antenna was designed, and the results showed that the sleeve dipole antenna provides an omnidirectional radiation pattern and reasonable gain at 2.42 GHz. Subsequently, the model was developed using a simplified model of the lunar ground surface in which the performance of the antenna was evaluated. Finally, the antenna's performance was illustrated in the context of its location, which is close to the metallic mast of the rover which substantially affects antenna parameters. It was also observed that although the electrical properties of the lunar regolith had no significant effect on crucial antenna parameters such as operating frequency and bandwidth; placing the antenna closer to the lunar regolith causes modification in the pattern which results in a moderate increase in gain.