Inflatable antenna for CubeSats: Development of the X-band prototype

CubeSats
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and small satellites have potential to provide means to explore space and to perform science in a more affordable way. As the goals for these spacecraft become more ambitious in space exploration, moving from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) or further, the communication systems currently implemented will need to be improved to support those missions. One of the bottlenecks is the antennas' size, due to the close relation between antenna gain and dimensions. Hence, a possible solution is to develop inflatable antennas which can be packaged efficiently, occupying a small amount of space, and they can provide, once deployed, large dish dimension and correspondent gain. A prototype of a 1 m inflatable antenna for X-Band has been developed in a joint effort between JPL and ASU. This paper will detail the principle challenges in developing the antenna technology focusing on: design, EM analysis, fabrication and tests.