What is it about?
We created a new antenna design for small satellites. Our design uses a new hinge that does not rely on adhesives or traditional pin hinges, can be cycled repeatedly, and does not take up significant surface area away from the antenna. A new stabilization method is also integrated which uses magnets for passive stabilization and is demonstrated to be flat in a micro-gravity simulated environment. Additionally, a compliant mechanism is used for integrated, low-profile deployment. The design is then validated using RF testing in an anechoic chamber, and the measured performance is shown to fulfill the expected nominal gain requirement.
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Photo by NASA on Unsplash
Why is it important?
This work is important because it eliminates the issues with traditional pin hinges, such as lubrication and outgassing. It also demonstrates a new method for how magnets can be used to keep satellite structures together, and the testing we did shows that the performance of this antenna using our new hinges and the magnets is good enough to be used in space!
Perspectives
Working on this design was a exciting, because we were able to validate new technologies which could solve common problems that satellite designers face. I hope that you learn a little bit more about satellite design and how we can improve the next generation of space-based devices!
Nathan Coleman
Brigham Young University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The KIHM-9: A Self-Deploying Picosat Holographic Metasurface Antenna Array Design, January 2024, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA),
DOI: 10.2514/6.2024-1429.
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