Origami-Folded Antennas for Satellite Stowability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Deployable antennas for miniaturized satellites face challenges in balancing stowability and reconfigurability while maintaining operational requirements, as the wavelengths of signals used do not scale with the miniaturization of satellites, leading to size limitations that hinder the realization of satellite miniaturization advantages.
Innovation Solution
The development of origami-folded antennas that include a dielectric stratum and a conductive stratum, with helical sections that can be expanded and compressed along a center axis, allowing for tunable gain and frequency coverage in L and S bands, such as GPS and satellite communications, by adjusting the expansion state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If traditional deployable antennas are used for miniaturized satellites, then the antenna can be compressed to fit small volumes, but the antenna cannot achieve sufficient operational size due to wavelength constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna employs a nested deployment mechanism where the helical structure is contained within a cylindrical boresight structure during stowage, similar to nested dolls. The helical sections are compressed within the boresight housing, allowing the antenna to fit into minimal volume while maintaining the capability to expand to full operational dimensions when deployed.
Solution Approach 2:
The antenna transitions from a static compressed state to a dynamic expanded state through controlled deployment. The helical sections are designed to expand along the center axis when actuated, transforming from a compact stowage configuration to a fully extended operational configuration, enabling the antenna to adapt its size based on mission requirements.
2Volume of moving object
If the antenna is compressed to small volume for stowage, then stowability is improved, but the antenna cannot maintain its operational properties
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna is divided into multiple discrete helical sections that can be independently compressed and expanded. Each helical section maintains its structural integrity and electromagnetic properties during compression, and when deployed, the sections extend to form the complete operational antenna structure, ensuring reliable performance throughout the deployment cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The antenna utilizes changes in physical parameters during deployment, specifically the expansion of helical sections along the center axis. The dielectric and conductive materials maintain their electromagnetic properties while the geometric parameters (length, volume) change during transition from stowage to operational state, ensuring consistent operational performance across different deployment phases.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple antennas are used to cover different frequency bands, then frequency coverage is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna is designed as a multi-functional structure capable of operating across multiple frequency bands (L band and S band) using a single antenna system. The helical configuration and adjustable geometry enable the antenna to tune its resonant frequency and impedance characteristics, providing universal coverage for GPS, satellite communications, and other applications without requiring separate antennas for each band.
Solution Approach 2:
The antenna employs dynamic geometric adjustment to achieve frequency tuning. By modifying the expansion state of the helical sections along the center axis, the electrical length and resonant frequency of the antenna can be adjusted to match different operational bands, enabling a single antenna structure to perform multiple frequency-specific functions.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are polarization and frequency reconfigurable origami-folded antennas and methods for making the same. An origami-folded antenna can include at least one ground plane that can include a dielectric stratum and a conductive stratum that is at least partially disposed on the conductive stratum. The origami-folded antenna can further include at least two helical sections that can include a dielectric sheet and a conductive sheet. The origami-folded antenna can be expanded to an expanded state and compressed to a compressed state along a center axis, and the antenna can have a greater length along the center axis when in the expanded state than when in the compressed state.