Integrated downlink antennas in the deployable solar panels of a cubesat

Abstract

Nano-satellite platforms, such as cubesats, have recently improved considerably in terms of reliability, and are slowly becoming a financially attractive solution for space exploration missions. As the applications grow more and more complex, a paradigm shift takes place from single cubesat implementation to constellations missions in which the collaboration between multiple satellites is used to execute more difficult tasks. The increased complexity results in a very challenging design process, as the satellites have to meet very strict requirements in terms of orbital dynamics, power budgets and data distribution. The limited available volume in cubesat platforms furthermore drives the need for combining multiple solutions for different types of problems into the same component or subsystem. This paper focuses on integrating communication antennas and photovoltaic cell arrays into a deployable structure that can be used for supplying the required electrical power (by conversion of solar energy), and for establishing a reliable communication link with a base station (BS) on Earth. © 2014 IEEE.