Parabolic Antenna Research Articles

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.

Development of Lightweight 6 m Deployable Mesh Reflector Antenna Mechanisms Based on a Superelastic Shape Memory Alloy

This paper describes the design and experimental verification of a 6 m parabolic deployable mesh reflector antenna mechanism based on a superelastic shape memory alloy. This antenna mainly consists of a deployable primary reflector with a superelastic shape memory alloy-based hinge mechanism and a fixed-type secondary reflector mast, where a rotary-type holding and release mechanism and deployment speed control system are installed. The main feature of this antenna is the application of a superelastic shape memory alloy to the mechanism, which has the advantages of plastic deformation resistance, high damping, and fatigue resistance. A shape memory alloy is applied to the hinge mechanism of each primary reflector rib and to the rotary-type holding and release mechanism as a deployment mechanism. In addition, a superelastic shape memory alloy wire is applied to the antenna in the circumferential direction to maintain the curvature of the primary reflector. The effectiveness of the proposed mechanism design was verified through repeated deployment tests on models of the superelastic shape memory alloy-based hinge mechanism and the antenna system.

Enhanced‐Resolution Learning‐Based Direction of Arrival Estimation by Programmable Metasurface

AbstractDue to its growing importance and wide range of applications, direction‐of‐arrival (DOA) estimation has become a major research topic, particularly in the field of communication systems. While traditional DOA estimation methods rely on antenna arrays and complex algorithms, recent progress achieved in the design and implementation of metasurfaces has proved their effectiveness as promising alternatives. This study presents a distinct approach for DOA estimation that combines the use of a programmable metasurface with deep learning. The programmable metasurface together with a radio‐frequency power detector placed at the focal point, acts as a parabolic reflector antenna with an adjustable pointing direction, which scans the azimuth plane in 5° increments to receive the power level of incoming signals. The collected data is then fed into a pre‐trained multilayer neural network to enable DOA estimation with a resolution of lower than 1° without requiring fine‐tuning of the scanning procedure. This approach ensures accurate and fast estimations, paving the way for advanced solutions in detection and localization for various applications.

Orbital Angular Momentum Backhaul Link Transmission Based on Combination of Parabolic Antenna and Uniform Circular Array

Orbital Angular Momentum Backhaul Link Transmission Based on Combination of Parabolic Antenna and Uniform Circular Array

Design and kinematics analysis of a parabolic cylinder deployment mechanism with modular over-constrained triangular pyramid

Space missions require novel mechanisms that can have compact form in complex space environments. This study proposes a modular triangular pyramid parabolic cylinder deployment mechanism. The modular deployable unit contains an over-constrained triangular pyramid deployable mechanism and a symmetrical trapezoidal Bricard linkage that drives the longitudinal and transverse motions of the mechanism. A cable net is added between two symmetrical linkages to form a parabolic cylindrical reflector and is analyzed by the force density method. The Denavit-Hartenberg (D-H) coordinate method is used to analyze the kinematic characteristics. Based on the analytical solution for the angular displacement, the degrees of freedom of the mechanism are derived from screw theory. Subsequently, the angular velocity and acceleration of the joint points are obtained. Finally, kinematic models of the modular triangular pyramid parabolic cylinder deployable mechanism are established, and the accuracy of the theoretical model is verified using a numerical method. This novel parabolic cylinder deployable mechanism will have a significant influence in aerospace domain. Crucially, the work has value to design deployment mechanism for parabolic cylinder antenna.

Development of parabolic antenna irradiator for tropospheric communication station

The currently existing tropospheric stations, due to high energy consumption and limited signal formation capabilities, and radio relay stations, also due to limited communication range, require new technological solutions. One such solution proposed is the creation of a tropospheric-radio relay station with completely redesigned radio equipment. The Institute of Special Communications and Information Protection, in collaboration with a research institute, developed a scheme for such a station, which was tested in field trials on a real tropospheric radio line with a length of 155 km. Our specialists were involved in the development of two antenna devices. A detailed analysis of the current state of tropospheric communication station development in the world was conducted, and the possibilities of modernizing existing stations, such as the R-423-M, were considered. Based on the results of the analysis, it was proposed not to conduct modernization, but rather to develop a new generation of tropospheric communication stations. According to the accepted station construction concept, its transmitting and receiving parts were developed as two separate units (external and internal). The external unit for conducting field trials was located on the antenna, allowing for the maximum reduction of signal losses in the antenna-feeder paths. The components of the internal units were housed in the closed body of a vehicle. This provided additional convenience for the operator and reduced the requirements for climatic conditions. The antenna block of the transmitter includes a power divider, a power amplifier block (eight power amplifiers of 10 W each), a two-mirror parabolic antenna with a hyperboloid small mirror, and an eight-element horn feed that can be powered in such a way that the output wave will be either linear or circular polarization.

Structural design and surface networking analysis of a truss antenna based on hexagonal frustum deployable mechanism units

With the development of space technology, deployable mechanism has been widely applied in large aperture space antennas. In this paper, a hexagonal frustum deployable antenna unit and an innovative modular assembling concept are proposed for large parabolic truss antenna. Screw topology diagram and screw constraint matrix are established to solve degree of freedom (DOF) of the antenna mechanism. By separating column vectors of screw constraint matrix, whole actuations of antenna mechanism are obtained according to unique solution condition. A new hexagon antenna network method based on hexagon frustum units and rotation transformation matrix is proposed, and correctness and efficiency of the modeling principle are proved by simulation. Finally, a prototype of the proposed hexagonal frustum truss deployable antenna mechanism is constructed, and a deployment experiment is conducted, which demonstrate the mobility and deployment performance of the mechanism. The mechanism proposed in this paper provides a theoretical reference for the parabolic truss deployable antenna mechanism, which is potentially valuable in the application of large aperture deployable antennas.

Deployable support truss for parabolic cylindrical antennas with shape reconfiguration

The increasing scarcity of orbit resources has directed the focus onto the versatility of space antennas. Through shape reconfiguration, large antennas can achieve enhanced task compliance. In this paper, a two-degree-of-freedom (DOF) deployable support truss with shape reconfiguration is designed for parabolic cylindrical antennas. A design strategy is presented for the support truss, in which the synchronous deployment is realized first through the expansion of basic deployable units. The branch chains are then supplemented to realize the controllable reconfiguration of the entire support truss. Moreover, the mobility and kinematic analyses of the basic modules on the support truss are conducted to parametrically analyze the DOF space and realize the expected reconfiguration. The unit number and structure parameters of the support truss can influence the mimicking preciseness. To fulfill the mimicking error requirement with a more concise mechanism, a parameter optimization method based on the genetic algorithm is proposed to achieve the minimum number of the required deployable units. Simulation of the deployment and reconfiguration of the support truss as well as the verification test conducted on the principle prototype demonstrate the feasibility of the mechanism design. This paper may provide candidates for support trusses of large reconfigurable antennas with enhanced task flexibility and efficiency, and serve as references for the design of deployable mechanisms with the reconfiguration function.

A review: Performance of multibeam dual parabolic cylindrical reflector antennas in LEO satellites

The characteristics of multibeam dual parabolic cylindrical reflector antennas are summarized in this article. They can generate an arbitrary number of beams with arbitrary tilt angles for each beam. They can be remotely controlled to cover any arbitrary area, of any shape and size, even if the antenna was mounted on a quasi-stationary platform. Their performance in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites and ground stations (terminals) have been presented. A simple beam tracking technique was developed. For any specific satellite orbit, the orientation of the ground-station antenna could be adjusted such that its beams are parallel to the satellite's beams and directed toward them. The ground-station antenna can simultaneously communicate with multiple satellites in different orbits. A single antenna can cover the whole mm-band (17.8-30 GHz), which is one of the most widely used bands in LEO satellites. The overall size of a mm-wave antenna, generating 20-24 dB gain, is 14.8x10.4x3.7 cm3 and its weight is 0.37 kg.

Dual-mode Antenna Tracking System for Rocket Launch Applications

Rocket launches are complex events that require tracking antennas to maintain a communication link. This study introduces a hybrid tracking strategy that combines manual and program modes by utilizing a predetermined trajectory of the rocket. Automatic switching between tracking modes ensures ongoing monitoring, even during unexpected trajectory changes with the monopulse approach. The dual parabolic antenna arrangement enables this switching. The system estimates the monopulse ratio from the signal strength of each antenna, allowing automatic program tracking to shift to manual mode when reception concerns arise. Performance evaluations included manual, programmable, and dual-mode tests. The system responded to human input and automatically aligned the antenna with slight elevation errors during the initial phase. Adjusting the initial elevation reduced the error. The mode transition was examined by measuring the antenna radiation patterns and monopulse ratio. The system’s performance was evaluated in rocket launches, with the rocket trajectory input into the graphical user interface. The antenna exhibited an azimuthal movement of up to 10 °, and the ratio fluctuation values remained within the antenna’s field of view. After 8.8 seconds, the mode switched from program to manual, indicating that the functioning of the system’s functioning was stable.

Design of an ultrabroadband and compact H‐plane sectoral ridged horn‐reflector array

AbstractIn this paper, an ultrabroadband linear array in which horn‐reflector antennas are used as radiating elements by adding a central ridge to the rectangular waveguide, leading to an increased bandwidth of 3:1. With a reflector embedded in the H‐plane sectoral ridged horn, a desired narrow beam can be easily achieved. Moreover, due to the compact enclosed structure, the proposed reflector array can not only eliminate the illumination loss but also significantly reduce size compared with those of conventional array‐fed parabolic cylinder antennas. Good agreement between the calculated and measured results is obtained, showing that the proposed antenna array has a high aperture efficiency of about 80%, a ±45° scanning range in the E‐plane and 5° beam coverage with low side lobes in the H‐plane within the frequency range of 6–18 GHz.

Mitigation of Feed Horn Overlapping Condition for Multi-beam Parabolic Reflector Antenna

Mitigation of Feed Horn Overlapping Condition for Multi-beam Parabolic Reflector Antenna

Development of manufacturing technology of polarization parabolic antenna reflectors for antennas of millimeter wave band

Structurally antenna with rotation of the polarization plane consists of three main elements: an irradiator, a parabolic transreflector and a flat twist-reflector. A common problem for such antennas is complexity of the manufacture of the main element – parabolic transreflector. The purpose of the article is search for unreinforced foiled material, research the possibility of manufacturing parabolic transreflector by the photochemical method of making printed boards, as well as forming blanks for parabolic forming them. The article considers a new method of manufacturing of a parabolic transreflector for an antenna made of foil-fluoroplastic with a rotation of polarization plane. The technology of forming conductors with a width of 75 microns with a step of 225 microns by the photochemical method (according to the technology of manufacturing printed circuit boards) with subsequent molding of the workpiece to obtain a given parabolic form, has been developed. The main technological operations of manufacturing a parabolic transreflector have been described. The proposed solutions indicate the prospects of the developed technology manufacturing of polarization parabolic antenna reflectors for millimeter wave antennas.

Packing optimization and design of the deployable parabolic rigid antenna based on origami

This paper introduces a novel approach for optimizing the packing and design of deployable parabolic rigid antenna structures based on origami, tailored to meet specific requirements related to the number of solid-surface blocks and the size of the folded antenna. The study begins by selecting a single-vertex four-crease configuration with one degree of freedom from the origami pattern, guided by mobility analysis, to optimize block arrangement. Subsequently, a planar model is employed to qualitatively examine the impact of geometric parameters on the stowage efficiency of the antenna. Building upon the insights gained from the planar model, an optimization framework for the parabolic rigid deployable antenna structure is established. The objective function of the optimization is the stowage volume, while simultaneously adhering to stiffness, collision, and mobility constraints. The design parameters of the antenna structure are thoroughly analyzed. To mitigate collision risks during folding, design considerations are applied to placement of support nodes, location of rotating axes, and block division, leveraging the optimized parameters. The practicality of the proposed method is successfully demonstrated through the folding of a simulated 3D model and of a physical 3D printed model. These tangible representations show the feasibility of the presented approach, affirming its potential applicability in the optimization and design of deployable parabolic rigid antenna structures.

A Simplified Radiation Characteristic Analysis Method for Defocus-Fed Parabolic Antennas in a W-Band Communication System

With increasing interest in the W-band, there is growing focus on parabolic reflector antennas that are known for efficiently inducing high-gain radiation characteristics. There is particular focus on parabolic antennas with diverse defocus-fed applications, including monopulse tracking, multi-beam formation using multiple feeds, and aperture-shared antennas for multi-band operation. Thus, a new simplified method is presented in this paper to analyze the radiation characteristics of defocus-fed parabolic antennas. The presented method is based on the discrete division of a parabolic reflector surface and considers only simplified wave propagation theory and the effect of the scalar function pattern from the feeder. Additionally, array theory is exclusively applied for the analysis of radiation characteristics. Therefore, the presented method uses a very simplified formula to calculate the radiation characteristics of a defocused parabolic reflector antenna. The performance of the presented method was evaluated by comparing the results with commercial EM tools. The results of the analysis confirm the applicability of the presented method for the analysis of defocus-fed parabolic antennas.

Design of Reinforced Ribs for Spaceborne Parabolic Cylindrical Reflector Antenna Based on Topology Optimization and Parametric Analysis

The normal operation of spaceborne parabolic cylindrical reflector antennas under various operating conditions relies on maintaining the root mean square (RMS) of the reflector surface’s deformation within reasonable limits. In engineering practice, the designing of reinforced ribs is the primary way to control the RMS of the reflector surface. However, the layout and dimensions of reinforced ribs for many existing designs rely on the experience of the designer and lack a theoretical foundation. This leads to suboptimal layouts and dimensions in many designs, deviating from the optimal design. To address these concerns, this study proposes a comprehensive design approach that combines both topology optimization and parametric analysis. Optimization and parametric analysis were conducted for a large-sized spaceborne composite parabolic cylindrical reflector antenna. The layout and dimensions of the reinforced ribs were reconstructed based on the optimization results and parametric analysis. This study also obtained the influence of the height and thickness of the reinforced ribs on the RMS of the reflector surface. Subsequently, utilizing antenna temperature field simulations as thermal excitation inputs, finite element thermal distortion analyses were conducted for the reflector surfaces without reinforced ribs, with the original reinforced ribs designed based on empirical methods, and with optimized reinforced ribs. In comparison to the original design of the reinforced ribs, the optimized design, without an increase in the volume of the reinforced ribs, reduced the RMS of the reflector surface from 0.6025 mm to 0.5561 mm, resulting in an optimization ratio of 7.7%. Moreover, when compared to the reflector surface without reinforced ribs, the optimized design achieved a 17.9% reduction in RMS.

Kinematic Characteristics Analysis and Assembly Application of the Rectangular Pyramid Deployable Mechanism

Deployable mechanisms have the characteristics of complex loops and strong coupling. As a result, the solution to the degrees of freedom (DOFs) and kinematic characteristics of the basic mechanism unit are often complicated, and the solution for combined mechanisms is rarely reported in the relevant literature. In this paper, the kinematic characteristics of the rectangular pyramid deployable mechanism (RPDM) are analyzed, and the DOFs of the RPDM are calculated based on the screw theory. In addition, the DOF number and properties of its moving components are analyzed. Based on the condition that the nonhomogeneous linear equations have a unique solution, the singularity analysis of the mechanism is complete, which indicates that the mechanism can be continuously deployed and folded. Based on the geometric characteristics of the mechanism, its folded ratio is calculated. Finally, a ring, a planar, and a parabolic truss deployable antenna mechanism are assembled based on the RPDM, and the DOF variation for the different assembly modes is obtained via the screw constraint matrix. This study provides a good reference for the design and analysis of such multi-closed-loop deployable mechanisms, and the large-scale space-deployable mechanisms constructed in this paper have good application prospects in the aerospace field.

Synthesis and Networking of Spaceborne Deployable Prismatic Antenna Mechanisms Based on Graph Theory

Spaceborne deployable cylindrical antennas have broad application prospects in the fields of space earth observation and remote-sensing detection because of their significant advantages of ultralong aperture, high gain, and flexible beam scanning. As application requirements rapidly develop, a new type of spaceborne deployable cylindrical antenna mechanism with a large diameter and deployability is urgently needed. This paper presents an innovative design for a cylindrical deployable antenna mechanism based on 18R triangular prism elements based on graph theory. The correctness of the configuration is verified by developing a prototype. First, four kinds of nonoverconstrained 12-bar triangular prism-stabilized truss structure configurations and their corresponding topological diagrams are constructed. Second, based on graph theory, three types of 102 triangular prism-stabilized truss mechanism configurations that can be folded into linear mechanisms are derived. Third, the kinematic pair configuration is established to achieve a single-degree-of-freedom 7R2U9S triangular prism deployable unit. Fourth, combined with the geometric topology characteristics of the unit network, a triangular prism unit networking method is proposed, and a cylindrical network mechanism configuration based on 18R triangular prism units is obtained. A prototype was fabricated by 3D printing, and an expansion and retraction function test was conducted, which verified the correctness of the theoretical analysis in this paper. Finally, a new concept configuration for a parabolic cylindrical antenna is proposed. This paper provides a reference for the configuration of large-scale folding truss structures with unit expansion.

A Study for a Radio Telescope in Indonesia: Parabolic Design, Simulation of a Horn Antenna, and Radio Frequency Survey in Frequency of 0.045–18 GHz

After years of preparation, the Indonesia National Observatory, located in Mount Timau, Kupang Regency, is currently in the completion stage of research in astronomy and astrophysics and related subjects. An optic telescope with a 3.8 m diameter is expected to receive its first light in mid-2024. A feasibility study for Indonesia’s radio telescopes and networks is in progress. A single-dish parabolic radio antenna with a diameter of 20 m is proposed to work in a frequency range of 1–50 GHz. An array dipole antenna with an area of 100 m × 100 m will also be installed at a 70–350 MHz frequency. A feasibility study about system design is in progress, and a radio frequency interference (RFI) survey has been underway since 2014. In this paper, we described the design of radio telescopes such as parabolic reflectors, horn antenna, and the radio frequency interference (RFI) in the surrounding area of the National Observatory, covering the frequency band from 45 MHz to 18 GHz. The frequencies in 45–85 MHz and 120–360 MHz intervals are still relatively quiet and suitable for developing radio telescopes. The selected higher frequency of 1.4 GHz for a neutral hydrogen (HI) spectral line, 6.6 GHz for a methanol (CH3OH) spectral line, and 8.6 GHz for a helium (3 He+) spectral line is still relatively quiet and suitable for the development of radio telescopes.

DESIGN OF A REFLECTOR ANTENNA IN THE FORM OF A TRUNCATED PARABOLOID

One of the fastest developing areas of radioelectronics are antennas and microwave devices. Antennas are one of the most important functional blocks of different radio engineering systems. Parabolic antennas are the most common unidirectional microwave antennas in radar systems, radio communication and radio astronomy. A parabolic antenna in the form of truncated paraboloid is developed. The antenna is designed, and its characteristics are calculated using one of the most modern software for electrodynamics modeling, FEKO, which represents a new approach to the design of three-dimensional microwave devices. The visualized results of calculations of a parabolic antenna in the form of a truncated paraboloid, which are displayed in the form of graphs. As a radiator for the designed antenna a circular open-ended waveguide is chosen, which consists of two parts – the rectangular and the circular waveguides. For the developed antenna, the radiation patterns in the polar system in E and H planes, and the gain and voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) are presented, designed in FEKO software. The value of the main lobe of the pattern at half power 〖2θ〗_0,5 and 〖 2φ〗_0,5 is calculated. The structure of the real antenna is shown. The results of comparisons of the values of dependency of VSWR on the frequency and radiation patterns of real and designed antennas are introduced. The parameters of the developed antenna were measured using the NI PXI-5630 network vector analyzer and the NI USRP-2901 radio device. The results of experimental studies have shown their compliance with the results of modeling. The developed antenna operates in the 4.6...6 GHz frequency range.