Light Weight, Low Volume Deployable Antenna Structures

Efficient future space-based military as well as commercial assets require large antenna apertures. These include space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) systems such as the SBR (space-based radar). As spacecraft are severely power-limited, aperture is the most important trade space for increased performance. What is needed is a lightweight, low volume antenna structrue that enables an efficient stowage capability. This is where the L'Garde technology of rigidizable composite structures come in. We will carryout a conceptual design for very large, lightweight, low stowed volume deployable antenna support structures for use with electronically-scanned arrays (ESA) as well as other large aperture space applications. We will identify the appropriate RF technologies and spacecraft applications to provide the springboard for the derivation of requirements for candidate large deployable structures. The applications of interest include (but not limited to) communication, ground moving target indicator (GMTI)radar, and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) as desired for supporting future space-based ISR systems.