This chapter discusses the history of space borne deployable mesh reflectors, and then design considerations. General reflector antenna design guidelines are available in many other antenna engineering handbooks. It explains a case study of the antenna design for NASA’s Soil Moisture Active and Passive (SMAP) mission. The antenna is a 6m deployable offset mesh reflector that is part of a remote sensing instrument consisting of an L‐band radar and radiometer. The first very large mesh reflector antenna system with a spinning platform. The design process and technical challenges for the SMAP antenna have been presented to assist others in identifying the pertinent characteristics of deployable mesh reflectors as they apply to their own specific applications.

    planetary remote sensing; reflector antennas; space vehicle antennas


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Deployable Mesh Reflector Antennas for Space Applications: RF Characterizations



    Published in:

    Publication date :

    2012-05-25


    Size :

    30 pages




    Type of media :

    Article/Chapter (Book)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English




    Deployable Slotted Shell Reflector Antennas

    Tan, Lin Tze / Norager, Silas | AIAA | 2007



    Ultra Thin Deployable Reflector Antennas

    Tan, Lin Tze / Pellegrino, Sergio | AIAA | 2004