Structural Architectures for a Deployable Wideband UHF Antenna

Gina Olson, Sergio Pellegrino, Joseph Costantine, Jeremy Banik
2012 53rd AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics and Materials Conference20th AIAA/ASME/AHS Adaptive Structures Conference14th AIAA   unpublished
This paper explores concepts for a wideband deployable antenna suitable for small satellites. The general approach taken was to closely couple antenna theory and structural mechanics, to produce a deployable antenna that is considered efficient in both fields. Approaches that can be deployed using stored elastic strain energy have been favored over those that require powered actuators or environmental effects to enforce deployment. Two types of concepts were developed: thin shell structure and
more » ... antograph. These concepts cover four antenna topologies: crossed log periodic, conical log spiral, helical and quadrifilar helix. Of these, the conical log spiral antenna and the accompanying deployment concepts are determined to be the most promising approaches that warrant further study.
doi:10.2514/6.2012-1836 fatcat:ctn57ocyzngtfakjt7ineturuu