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Space Inflatables > Space Deployable Inflatable Antennas >
1m X-Band Reflectarray
Program Goals & Requirements
  • 1 meter aperture
  • X-Band (8.4GHz)
  • Circularly polarized
  • Low Mass (less than 1 kg)
  • ±1.25mm flatness deviation
  • Membrane spacing 1.25mm ±0.12mm
  • Center feed horn ±13mm from center
  • 50 Inflations
Design Notes
  • Foam DOTS (extremely low compression set) allowed folding of membrane
  • Holes punched at tri-corner folds to relive stress in membrane
  • Frame utilized all soft joints
  • Tensioned "catenary" to distribute membrane loads
  • Tensioning membrane adjustable to ‘tune’ system
  • Relief valve prevents over pressurization
Test Results & Lessons Learned
  • - 3dB beam width of 2.40 (as expected)
  • Peak sidelobe of -18dB (higher than expected)
  • Peak cross-pol level at -18dB (higher than expected)
  • Efficiency of 37%
  • Improvements can be made: Assembly of membrane strips
    • Effects due to folding
    • Contiguous ground plane
    • Test Set-up



For more information on Engineered Inflatables, please contact Gil Baird.