Deployable Solar Panel Antenna Reflectors for Small Satellites
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Solution Overview
Problem
Small satellites, such as nano- and pico-satellites in low earth orbits, face stringent limitations in antenna design due to power and size constraints, making it challenging to achieve high gain without increasing power or space requirements, especially for high bandwidth applications.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates deployable solar panels that act as reflectors for high gain antennas, exploiting the satellite's structure to increase antenna gain through careful packaging and configuration, including monopole, patch, and parabolic antenna designs, while maintaining compactness and low drag configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If high gain antennas are used to reduce transmission power, then power consumption is reduced, but antenna size and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the antenna with the satellite's solar panel structure, where the solar panel serves dual purposes: generating power and acting as a reflector for the antenna. This merging of functions allows the antenna to achieve high gain without requiring additional space, as the reflector is integrated into the existing solar panel deployment structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The solar panel structure is designed to perform multiple functions: it generates electrical power through photovoltaic cells and simultaneously serves as a reflective surface for the antenna system. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate reflector structures, thereby maintaining compact size while achieving high antenna gain.
2Device complexity
If conventional monopole antennas are used in CubeSat applications, then the design is simple and compact, but the antenna gain is limited to about 1.65 dB
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a reflector structure as an intermediary element between the monopole antenna and the surrounding environment. This reflector redirects electromagnetic waves that would otherwise be lost, concentrating them in the desired direction and significantly enhancing the antenna gain from 1.65 dB to over 7 dBi, while maintaining the simplicity of the monopole design.
3Power
If deployable solar panels are used to maximize power production, then power availability increases, but the structure adds complexity and potential drag
Solution Approach 1:
The deployable solar panel structure is designed to serve dual purposes: generating electrical power and providing a reflective surface for the antenna. By making the solar panel structure multi-functional, the patent eliminates the need for separate reflector mechanisms, thereby reducing overall structural complexity while maximizing power production capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach achieves significant gain improvements, up to 10 dB for monopoles and 3 dB for patch antennas, reducing transmission power requirements while maintaining satellite coverage and attitude stability, and can be extended to various frequency bands and CubeSat form factors.
Implementation Method 1
A satellite may be equipped with one or more deployable solar panels... The deployable structure may be a conductive material that acts as a ground or a reflector depending on the antenna configuration
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments of the present invention include assemblies and methods for utilizing antennas with high gain in small satellites. In one embodiment, a satellite comprising a payload configured for transmitting data is provided. The payload may include various components of the satellite, such as the attitude control system, electrical power system, and/or communication system. The satellite may be configured to communicate with one or more ground stations. The satellite includes a support structure comprising at least one deployable panel, wherein the support structure houses the payload. The satellite also includes at least one antenna coupled to the support structure, wherein the deployable panel is configured to cover the antenna in a non-deployed state and to expose the antenna in a deployed state.