Space deployable inflatable antenna apparatus and associated methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10957987-B2
Application number	US-201615210118-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2016
Priority date	Jul 14, 2016
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

A space deployable antenna apparatus includes an inflatable antenna configurable between a deflated storage position and an inflated deployed position. The inflatable antenna includes collapsible tubular elements coupled together in fluid communication. The collapsible tubular elements in the deployed position include a longitudinally extending boom tubular element, at least one driven tubular conductive element transverse to the boom tubular element, at least one reflector tubular conductive element transverse to the boom tubular element, and at least one director tubular conductive element transverse to the boom tubular element. A foam dispenser is configured to inject a solidifiable foam into the inflatable antenna to configure to the inflated deployed position.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. An outer space deployable antenna apparatus comprising:
an inflatable antenna configurable between a deflated storage position and an inflated deployed position in outer space and comprising a plurality of collapsible tubular elements coupled together in fluid communication, said plurality of collapsible tubular elements in the deployed position in outer space comprising
a longitudinally extending boom tubular element having a proximal end and a free floating distal end,
at least one driven tubular conductive element having opposing free floating ends and transverse to said boom tubular element, and comprising a dielectric tube and a pair of spaced apart conductive layers thereon, with each conductive layer having an antenna feed point,
at least one reflector tubular conductive element having opposing free floating ends and transverse to said boom tubular element, and
at least one director tubular conductive element having opposing free floating ends and transverse to said boom tubular element; and

a foam dispenser configured to inject a solidifiable foam into said inflatable antenna to configure to the inflated deployed position in outer space.

2. The outer space deployable antenna apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a coaxial cable having inner and outer conductors coupled to respective ones of the antenna feed points.

3. The outer space deployable antenna apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said at least one reflector tubular conductive element comprises a dielectric tube and a conductive layer thereon.

4. The outer space deployable antenna apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said at least one driven tubular conductive element, said at least one reflector tubular conductive element and said at least one director tubular conductive element are coplanar with each other when said inflatable antenna is in the deployed position.

5. The outer space deployable antenna apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said foam dispenser comprises first and second foam component supplies.

6. The outer space deployable antenna apparatus according to claim 5 further comprising a mixing valve coupled between said first and second foam component supplies and said inflatable antenna.

7. The outer space deployable antenna apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of collapsible tubular elements comprises a biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BoPET) film.

8. The outer space deployable antenna apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of collapsible tubular elements comprises a polyimide film.

9. A spacecraft comprising:
a transceiver; and
an outer space deployable antenna apparatus coupled to said transceiver and comprising
an inflatable antenna configurable between a deflated storage position and an inflated deployed position in outer space and comprising a plurality of collapsible tubular elements coupled together in fluid communication, said plurality of collapsible tubular elements in the deployed position in outer space comprising
a longitudinally extending boom tubular element having a proximal end and a free floating distal end,
at least one driven tubular conductive element having opposing free floating ends and transverse to said boom tubular element, and comprising a dielectric tube and a pair of spaced apart conductive layers thereon, with each conductive layer having an antenna feed point,
at least one reflector tubular conductive element having opposing free floating ends and transverse to said boom tubular element, and
at least one director tubular conductive element having opposing free floating ends and transverse to said boom tubular element; and

a foam dispenser configured to inject a solidifiable foam into said inflatable antenna to configure to the inflated deployed position in outer space.

10. The spacecraft according to claim 9 further comprising a coaxial cable coupled between said transceiver and said at least one driven tubular conductive element, with said coaxial cable having inner and outer conductors coupled to respective ones of the antenna feed points.

11. The spacecraft according to claim 9 wherein said at least one reflector tubular conductive element comprises a dielectric tube and a conductive layer thereon.

12. The spacecraft according to claim 9 wherein said at least one driven tubular conductive element, said at least one reflector tubular conductive element and said at least one director tubular conductive element are coplanar with each other when said inflatable antenna is in the deployed position.

13. The spacecraft according to claim 9 wherein said foam dispenser comprises first and second foam component supplies.

14. The spacecraft according to claim 13 further comprising a mixing valve coupled between said first and second foam component supplies and said inflatable antenna.

15. The spacecraft according to claim 9 wherein said plurality of collapsible tubular elements comprises at least one of a biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BoPET) film and a polyimide film.

16. A method for deploying an inflatable antenna in outer space comprising:
storing the inflatable antenna in a deflated storage position; and
when in outer space injecting a solidifiable foam from a foam dispenser into the inflatable antenna to configure to an inflated deployed position in outer space, with the plurality of collapsible tubular elements being coupled together in fluid communication in the deployed position in outer space and comprising
a longitudinally extending boom tubular element having a proximal end and a free floating distal end,
at least one driven tubular conductive element having opposing free floating ends and transverse to said boom tubular element, and comprising a dielectric tube and a pair of spaced apart conductive layers thereon, with each conductive layer having an antenna feed point,
at least one reflector tubular conductive element having opposing free floating ends and transverse to said boom tubular element, and
at least one director tubular conductive element having opposing free floating ends and transverse to said boom tubular element.

17. The method according to claim 16 further comprising a coaxial cable having inner and outer conductors coupled to respective ones of the antenna feed points.

18. The method according to claim 16 wherein the at least one reflector tubular conductive element comprises a dielectric tube and a conductive layer thereon.

19. The method according to claim 16 wherein said at least one driven tubular conductive element, the at least one reflector tubular conductive element and the at least one director tubular conductive element are coplanar with each other when the inflatable antenna is in the deployed position.

20. The method according to claim 16 wherein the foam dispenser comprises first and second foam component supplies, and further comprising a mixing valve coupled between the first and second foam component supplies and the inflatable antenna.

21. The method according to claim 16 wherein the plurality of collapsible tubular elements comprises at least one of a biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BoPET) film and a polyimide film.

Assignees

• Harris Corp

Inventors

• Hildebrand Robert C
• Adams William C

Classifications

• H01Q19/30 Primary

  the primary active element being centre-fed and substantially straight, e.g. Yagi antenna · CPC title

• H01Q9/16

  with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole (H01Q9/44 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01Q1/081

  Inflatable antennas · CPC title

• H01Q9/22

  Rigid rod or equivalent tubular element or elements · CPC title

• H01Q3/04

  for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation · CPC title