Mesh Antenna Research Articles

Experimental prototype of mesh antenna based on digital twin technology

The ring mesh antenna plays an important role in the field of aerospace communication owing to its excellent performance characteristics, but faces the challenge of decreasing profile accuracy due to environmental and structural failures during in-orbit operation. Digital twin, a promising technology, can effectively monitor and adjust the antenna surface accuracy. In other words, by creating a digital model of the physical entity, real-time monitoring and adjustment can be made to maintain the electrical performance of the antenna. In this paper, a digital twin system for an experimental prototype of a ring mesh antenna is proposed. Firstly, we introduce the preliminaries of digital twin technology. Secondly, we propose a system framework based on a five-dimensional digital twin model. Then, a digitization software and a visualization interface are developed. Finally, according to efficiency analysis and simulation results, the feasibility of the system was verified. We demonstrate its effectiveness in terms of real-time monitoring and automatic mesh adjustment functions, and significantly improve the efficiency of the adjustment process. It provides a reference with significant value for the application of digital twin technology in the field of aerospace communication, which significantly advances the development of this field.

Multifunctional Double Band Mesh Antenna with Solar Cell Integration for Communications Purposes

A dual band flexible antenna based on a circularly polarized modified meshed patch antenna design. This article focuses on some of the most pressing issues in small satellite applications. The antenna optimization and improvement of antenna performance, such as radiation efficiency. As is well known, circular polarization is immune to the Faraday rotation effect in the ionosphere and can thus prevent a 3-dB loss in geo-satellite communication. With the use of the software program Computer Simulation Technology (CST), the proposed circularly polarized modified meshed patch antenna has been created. Therefore, this article also presents a modified design of a circularly polarized meshed patch antenna to reduce the complexity of the antenna and decrease the size as much as it is capable. However, a meshed patch antenna can support a high communication data rate. The antenna architecture will theoretically be consistent with the installation of solar panels. The antenna utilizes a conductive copper as the core material and the substrate using flexible polyimide. The design antenna is very small, having an overall size of 30 * 30 mm when compared to other conventional non-transparent antenna operating at the same frequencies of 2.6, 3.5 GHz. The antenna that is proposed involves two meshed patch elements of same size but in various shapes. Finally, the proposed antenna is integrated into a solar cell by using the amorphous silicon thin film.

Design and Implementation of a Ka-band Folding Rib Mesh Antenna for CubeSats

In the past decade, CubeSats have undergone a revolution, moving from university research projects to enabling industry opportunities and government missions. In 2014, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology (JPL/Caltech) initiated a research and technology development effort to advance CubeSat communication capabilities. One of the critical thrusts was the Ka-band parabolic deployable antenna (KaPDA). This antenna started with the ambitious goal of fitting a 42 dB, 0.5 m, 35 GHz antenna in a 1.5U canister. At that time, there had been minimal development in high-gain CubeSat antennas, critical for high-data-rate communications and remote sensing science. A Ka-band high-gain antenna would provide a 10,000 times increase in data communication rates over an X-band patch antenna and a 100 times increase over state-of-the-art S-band parabolic antennas. This paper discusses designing, building, integrating, and operating the flight antenna from a mechanical perspective, its final performance, and lessons learned. KaPDA enabled the RainCube mission, the first Earth Science CubeSat to have an active instrument. RainCube was launched in May 2018, making KaPDA the second deployable parabolic antenna to fly on a CubeSat and the first to operate in Ka-band, enabling follow-on opportunities for high-rate antenna communications and remote sensing science.

Numerical Investigation on the Thermal Characteristics of Lightweight Metal Mesh-Based Reflector Antenna with Various Knitting Conditions

Proper prediction of the temperature variation in a metallic wire mesh for spaceborne large deployable reflector antennas is essential for evaluating the dimensional stability of the antenna under extreme on-orbit thermal environments. However, predicting the temperature of a mesh is difficult because of its complex yarn configuration. To analyze the thermal behavior of the spaceborne mesh antenna reflector, the thermal optical characteristics with various knitting methods of the metallic mesh were obtained experimentally in this study. Subsequently, to analyze the thermal sensitivity of the reflector based on its optical properties, an on-orbit thermal analysis of the mesh reflector was performed based on measurements of the mesh specimen. We also investigated the influence of deployable solar panels on the thermal gradient of the reflector.

Mesh antenna cable net form finding optimization by an improved NSGA-II

The tension uniformity and surface accuracy of mesh antenna cable net are two well-accepted evaluation criteria for form finding. Traditional form finding techniques often rely on single-objective optimization and weighting factors. Although the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) can address the limitation, there are still challenges of wide distribution and insufficient precision of solutions. In the present work, a novel multi-objective optimization method based on an improved NSGA-II is introduced to conduct mesh antenna cable net form finding optimization. Based on the preference region (PR), a self-adaptive penalty function is proposed. The function is designed to steer the optimization process toward the PR, and enhancing the precision of the solutions. The extent of penalization for an individual solution depends on its positioning relative to the PR and is modified by a penalty coefficient that adapts dynamically to the population number within the PR. Additionally, a form finding method considering flexible frames is developed. The initial population for the flexible frame optimization is sourced from results of rigid frames, with the maximum truss node position error as the convergence criterion. Benchmark tests and case studies confirm that the improved NSGA-II enhances distributivity and convergence, while also providing form-finding results with higher surface accuracy and more uniform tension distribution.

Research and Application on High Precision Measurement Method of Large Mesh Antenna Surface

Abstract The development process of large mesh antennas requires a significant investment of time and resources for iterative measurements and adjustments to achieve high precision in the large mesh reflector. In this paper, a novel measurement method for the precision of large mesh antenna surfaces is proposed to reduce the development process. Multiple measurement cameras have been utilized to set up a network system, enabling data integration for comprehensive analysis and computational calculations. In this approach, the implementation of a one-click and the rapid measurement function represent substantial advancements. The single measurement time has been successfully reduced from 40 minutes to 2 minutes, which addresses the challenge of high efficiency and precision measurement application on the complex mesh antenna surface. Then the optimization of calibration is accomplished through the meticulous measurement of network patterns, marker points, and reference bars to improve the precision accuracy on the foundation of rapid measurements, combined with the simulation analysis. The final results have been practically verified and successfully applied to model development, which provides a crucial reference for subsequent endeavors involving the rapid and automated measurement of similar antennas.

МОДЕЛЮВАННЯ ТА АНАЛІЗ РОЗГОРТАННЯ КОСМЕТИЧНОЇ СІТЧАСТОЇ АНТЕНИ

The aim of work is to create a dynamic model of a space antenna with the pantograph structure and study the processes of its deployment using open-source software. The methods of theoretical mechanics, multi-body dynamics, computational mechanics, and computer modeling were used for this research. The object for modeling is a novel mesh antenna, which is designed for mini-satellites. The most significant difference between this antenna and others is the design of the support ring in the form of a pantograph. Using the built model, antenna deployment is simulated for different cases. Values of deployment time and cable tension during the antenna deployment are analyzed.

Biomimetic Design of a New Semi-Rigid Spatial Mesh Antenna Reflector.

The reflective surface accuracy (RSA) of traditional space mesh antennas typically ranges from 0.2 to 6 mmRMS. To improve the RSA, an active control scheme can be employed, although it presents challenges in determining the installation position of the actuator. In this study, we propose a novel design for a semi-rigid cable mesh that combines rigid members and a flexible woven mesh, drawing inspiration from both rigid ribbed antennas and biomimicry. Initially, we investigate the planar mesh topology of spider webs and determine the bionic cable surface's mesh topology based on the existing hexagonal meshing method, with RSA serving as the evaluation criterion. Subsequently, through motion simulations and careful observation, we establish the offset angle as the key design parameter for the bionic mesh and complete the design of the bionic cable mesh accordingly. Finally, by analyzing the impact of the node quantity on RSA, we determine a layout scheme for the flexible woven mesh with a variable number of nodes, ultimately settling for 26 nodes. Our results demonstrate that the inclusion of numerous rigid components on the bionic cable mesh surface offers viable installation positions for the actuator of the space mesh antenna. The reflector accuracy achieved is 0.196 mmRMS, slightly surpassing the lower limit of reflector accuracy observed in most traditional space-space mesh antennas. This design presents a fresh research perspective on combining active control schemes with reflective surfaces, offering the potential to enhance the RSA of traditional rigid rib antennas to a certain extent.

Optically Transparent Honeycomb Mesh Antenna Integrated into OLED Light Source

The co-integration of antennas with lighting sources appears as an effective way to distribute broadband networks closer to users, lowering interference and transmitted power, as well as to reduce energy consumption in future lighting systems. We here present an original contribution to the implementation of transparent and invisible antennas with OLED light sources. To validate the proposed approach, the honeycomb mesh technique was used, and an optical transparency of 75.4% was reached. The transparent mesh antenna was compared with the non-transparent full-metal antenna in terms of radio-electrical parameters. Our prototype was designed using copper films deposited on a glass substrate. The simulation results of the S-parameters and the radiation patterns were validated against measurements performed in an anechoic chamber. The directivity and gain obtained were 6.67 dBi and 4.86 dBi at 5.16GHz, respectively. To study the effect of antenna integration with OLEDs, optical and photometric characterizations with and without the antenna were measured, and the colorimetric parameters were then treated using the IES TM-30-18 standard.

Optimization of a novel, bidirectional, double-ring, deployable mesh antenna with a super-large aperture

The development of large antennas deployable in space is particularly important. A mesh antenna would be ideal because of its high surface accuracy and storage ratio. Here, we develop a novel, double-ring, deployable mesh antenna, then perform mass evaluation and modal analyses. The antenna exhibited better stiffness and a greater storage ratio, compared with typical mesh antennas. However, the mass was excessive. To overcome this problem, we designed a lightweight 5-m truss antenna, then measured its stiffness and strength. We optimized the computer-aided design of a mesh antenna with a super-large aperture, and we performed form-finding analysis of the cable-net. The new antenna included bidirectional deployment and exhibited a greater storage ratio and stiffness, compared with the conventional AstroMesh antenna. The first-order natural frequency was twofold greater than that of the AstroMesh antenna. Our work will aid fabrication of antennas with super-large apertures.

MUSER and IPS telescopes for solar and space weather observations

This paper describes the recently built solar radio spectroscopy-imaging facilities, including near future developments and upgrades, as well as the IPS (Interplanetary Scintillation) telescopes under construction in China for solar and heliospheric studies. MUSER (Mingantu spectral radioheliograph), renamed from CSRH (Chinese spectral radioheliograph) after the construction, covers 400 MHz-15 GHz frequency range which was established during 2009–2016 in Mingantu Observing Station at Zhengxiangbaiqi, Inner Mongolia of China, under the National Major Scientific Research Facility Program of China. At moment MUSER is composed of two arrays with MUSER-I covering 400 MHz-2.0 GHz with 40 4.5 m mesh antennas and MUSER-II covering 2–15 GHz with 60 2 m dish antennas. MUSER will be extended to have its third array MUSER-L covering 30–400 MHz frequency regime with 224 LPDAs (log-periodic dipole antennas) under the Meridian-II Project, which is a National Science Infrastructure Project of China, to be constructed in the current two years. MUSER will provide solar radio images monitoring the solar eruptions from solar surface into interplanetary space. An IPS telescope array is going to be built in the current two years under the same National Science Infrastructure Project of China, with the main IPS telescope of three 140 m × 40 m cylinder antennas located in MUSER site and two 30 m antennas in two nearby counties each about 200 km away. The working frequency will be at 327 MHz and 654 MHz with dual linear polarizations. The cylinder antennas will have a sky zenith angle of 60 degrees and be able to observe thousands of radio sources. The IPS telescope will provide important information about solar wind and solar eruptions from the Sun to the Earth environment. The MUSER and IPS telescopes at Mingantu Observing Station, National Space Science Center of Chinese Academy of Sciences will play important role in solar and space weather studies.

Modelling of space antenna deployment using open source software

The goal of this article is to develop a dynamic model of a space antenna with the pantograph structure and to study the processes of its deployment using open-source software. Methods of theoretical mechanics, multibody dynamics, computational mechanics, and computer modeling were used in the research. A mesh antenna of the novel design, which is recommended for mini-satellites, is considered as the object for modeling. The most significant difference between this antenna and others is the design of the support ring in the form of a pantograph. To develop a model of the space antenna dynamics and implement it using open-source software, some simplifications were made due to the complexity of the structure. The antenna model is represented as a system of rigid and flexible bodies connected by hinges. Carbon fiber rods are modeled with the help of a flexible finite element using the method of absolute nodal coordinates, which allows one to model large deformations of the structure. Aluminum hinge assemblies are modeled as several rotation joints connected by conventional rigid elements. The main modeled properties of these hinge assemblies are the stiffness, location, and direction of the axes of rotation of the hinges. The tension forces created by the stretched mesh are modeled using springs. The cable drive of the antenna deployment mechanism is modeled as a load acting on the corresponding elements in defined local positions. An algorithm for building a model of the space antenna to simulate the reflector deployment process in the HotInt open-source software is presented. Using the built model, antenna deployment simulations are carried out for different cases, which differ in the forces used for the deployment. Values of deployment time, variations of angles between the V-folded bars, and tensions in the diagonal rods of the antenna sections during the antenna deployment are obtained. The approach proposed in the article can be implemented using free software, ensures flexibility of modeling, and reduces the model development time.

Chaos of the Six-Dimensional Non-Autonomous System for the Circular Mesh Antenna

In the process of aerospace service, circular mesh antennas generate large nonlinear vibrations under an alternating thermal load. In this paper, the Smale horseshoe and Shilnikov-type multi-pulse chaotic motions of the six-dimensional non-autonomous system for circular mesh antennas are first investigated. The Poincare map is generalized and applied to the six-dimensional non-autonomous system to analyze the existence of Smale horseshoe chaos. Based on the topological horseshoe theory, the three-dimensional solid torus structure is mapped into a logarithmic spiral structure, and the original structure appears to expand in two directions and contract in one direction. There exists chaos in the sense of a Smale horseshoe. The nonlinear equations of the circular mesh antenna under the conditions of the unperturbed and perturbed situations are analyzed, respectively. For the perturbation analysis of the six-dimensional non-autonomous system, the energy difference function is calculated. The transverse zero point of the energy difference function satisfies the non-degenerate conditions, which indicates that the system exists Shilnikov-type multi-pulse chaotic motions. In summary, the researches have verified the existence of chaotic motion in the six-dimensional non-autonomous system for the circular mesh antenna.

Adjustment Method of Coupled Dual-Surface Accuracy for Antennas Using Interval Model Updating

Affected by the uncertainties caused by cable cutting and assembly errors, material performance dispersion, and truss deformation, the dual-surface accuracy of a mesh antenna cannot satisfy the design requirements. However, the existing methods can only adjust the accuracy of a single surface. This paper studies a method for adjusting coupled dual-surface mesh antennas considering uncertainties. Dual-reflector mesh antennas use both the front and rear reflectors for sensing, and both surfaces have shape accuracy requirements. First, an interval model updating method based on sensitivity analysis is proposed to obtain an updated interval parameters model group, which can accurately represent the relationship between adjustment cable length and surface accuracy. Then, an interval optimization function for the coupled dual-surface accuracy is established to get optimal adjustment amounts, which is solved by using the fast elitist nondominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II). Meanwhile, a kriging model is introduced to improve the optimization efficiency. Finally, the AstroMesh antenna is taken as an example to verify the validity of the proposed method. The results show that both the front and back net accuracies can be improved after adjustment, proving the proposed method’s feasibility.

Electrical Property of 3D Printed Continuous Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Composite Mesh Reflecting Surfaces

Continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites have been widely used in modern aerospace and other high-end manufacturing fields because of their light weight, high strength, fatigue resistance, and corrosion resistance properties. Due to the reinforcement of carbon fiber strands, continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites have good conductivity which makes it a potential material for the preparation of space-borne antennas reflecting surfaces. The reflecting surfaces of common mesh antennas are usually prepared by gold-plated molybdenum wire which is expensive and hard to produce. In this study, the continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites mesh reflecting surfaces are prepared by 3D printing technology. The effect of different mesh shape and mesh size on the electrical properties are investigated systematically. The electrical property of the reflecting surface were tested by waveguide method at the S band with the frequency of 1.9 ~ 2.3GHz. The results show that the reflection loss of the 3D printed continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite mesh reflecting surfaces are lower than 0.25 dB, which can well meet the requirement of space-borne antennas in the S waveband. The reflection loss of the 3D printed continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite mesh reflecting surfaces increases with the increase of mesh size accordingly for both the quadrangular and the triangular mesh reflecting surface. The reflecting property of the mesh reflecting surface tends to be better with a higher surface mass density. The results foresee that the continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites can be used to develop the reflector of large mesh antenna in the future work.

Recent Advances in Space-Deployable Structures in China

Deployable space structure technology is an approach used in building spacecraft, especially when realizing deployment and folding functions. Once in orbit, the structures are released from the fairing, deployed, and positioned. With the development of communication, remote-sensing, and navigation satellites, space-deployable structures have become cutting-edge research topics in space science and technology. This paper summarizes the current research status and development trend of space-deployable structures in China, including large space mesh antennas, space solar arrays, and deployable structures and mechanisms for deep-space exploration. Critical technologies of space-deployable structures are addressed from the perspectives of deployable mechanisms, cable-membrane form-finding, dynamic analysis, reliable environmental adaptability analysis, and validation. Finally, future technology developments and trends are elucidated in the fields of mesh antennas, solar arrays, deployable mechanisms, and on-orbit adjustment, assembly, and construction.

Parabolic deployable mesh antenna with a hingeless system of superelastic SMA ribs and composite tape springs

This paper describes an experimental and numerical investigation of a compact parabolic deployable mesh antenna with a hingeless deployment system of superelastic SMA ribs and composite tape springs. One of the key features of the proposed antenna is the primary reflector with SMA ribs. The SMA's superelasticity allows the stowed reflector to deploy without plastic deformation with high damping and fatigue resistance. Thus, the antenna can be folded compactly like lotus flowers. Furthermore, composite tape springs with inherent hysteresis make the mast structure folded. Due to these hingeless deployment mechanisms, high reliability is achieved with a moderate level of packaging efficiency, lightweight, and low deployment shock.The effectiveness of the mechanism design was demonstrated by validation tests such as a basic characteristic test of superplastic SMA ribs, a deployment test of the antenna, and surface error measurement, as well as a deployment simulation with the aid of the finite element method.

High-accuracy design for mesh antennas considering the metallic mesh

Metallic meshes have great effects on the surface accuracy and tension distribution of mesh antennas, which present considerable challenges to the high-accuracy design of reflectors. Unfortunately, the metallic mesh is usually neglected in current research due to the complex coupling between the metallic mesh and the cable network. This paper presents a novel high-accuracy design method for the mesh reflector considering the effect of the metallic mesh. A cable-membrane coupling model is first proposed to account for the compatible deformation between the cable network and the metallic mesh. By introducing the topology matrix of the cable-membrane structure, the unified equilibrium equation of the mesh antenna is established and solved by the dynamic relaxation (DR) method. A novel high-accuracy design method for the mesh antenna is proposed by optimising the geometric dimensions of the cables and the membranes. Finally, this method is effectively applied to the high-accuracy design of two mesh antennas with different topologies considering the effect of the metallic mesh. The superiority of the method is demonstrated through a comparison with the literature, and the accuracy of the results is exhibited by the FEM software ABAQUS.

Pretension Design and Analysis of Deployable Mesh Antenna considering the Effect of Gravity

The difference between the space and the earth environment has significantly influenced the shape accuracy of the antenna reflector surface. With the increasing demand for the aperture of the antenna reflector, gravity has become one of the main factors that restrict the accuracy. In this paper, a new method for pretension design considering the effect of gravity is proposed. The design surface can be well restored to the ideal surface in orbit. Meanwhile, this method can avoid flipping antenna reflectors or extensive experiments for modification during ground adjustment. Then, the feasibility and effectiveness of the design method are validated by several numerical simulations. Moreover, the results are compared with the previous method and the differences have been discussed in detail. Finally, the effects of cable radius, cable length, and elastic modulus of the mesh reflector have been researched, respectively.

Analysis of pillow effect for isosceles triangular membranes of mesh reflector antenna by the weak form quadrature element method

The pillow effect is a key weakening factor in the surface accuracy of mesh antennas. Previous studies, however, have significant limitations in such antennas because they have been largely based on specific assumptions, which have failed to investigate the effects of mesh membrane material characteristics on the pillow effect. Thus, in this study, static analysis of a triangular membrane was performed using the weak form quadrature element method to explore the effects of material parameters in various directions on the pillow effect in polar coordinates. Because of its lack of central symmetry, the strain–displacement relations from Föppl–von Kármán membrane theory in polar coordinates were improved for calculations in triangular membranes. In polar coordinates, the triangular membrane domain was mapped into one sector for the discretion of integrals using bilinear interpolation. The convergence of the method results was examined, and the accuracy was demonstrated by comparing the computed deflections to those from the finite element method. Based on the present method, the effects of material properties on the pillow effect in different sections of a triangular membrane were examined, as was the influence of the shape of an isosceles triangle.