An outer space deployable antenna may include a ground plane and a flexible antenna coupled to the ground plane and moveable between a flat stored configuration and a conical deployed configuration. The flexible antenna may include a dielectric layer and a plurality of antenna arms. The flexible antenna may have a circular shape with a circular sector notch in the flat stored configuration that closes in the conical deployed configuration.

A hybrid kite having an integrated compartment that is inflated with a gas which is lighter than air; the kite is further equipped with a wind turbine generator for the purpose of generating electricity at a high altitude, which can be utilized by the kite or be relayed to the ground for practical use. The kite is anchored in the air as a result of an upward pulling/push force (drag) created by wind, and a combination of buoyancy, to keep the generator/s aloft for an extended period of time beyond 24 hours.

The kite may also serve the purpose of an antenna, to send and receive wireless communication from a base. Moreover the kite can serve as a surveillance vantage point, when equipped with a camera, video camera, microphone and lights, to give an aerial vantage point of a given location.

Numerous other applications for the invention will be realized in conjunction with the primary purpose of providing electricity directly from the generator, which is tethered to the kite, for domestic, industrial & nautical use.

A deployable satellite mast consisting of an inflatable tube, which is stored in fan-fold form before deployment and can be deployed by filling the tube with a gas, and which comprises a device for reinforcing and facilitating the deployment of the mast, which device is external to the mast and comprises one or more stays, first ends of which are wound on a reel device and second ends of which are secured to the tube, with the stays unwinding from the reel when the mast is deployed.

A lens and antenna assembly technique that includes a first bladder that is configured to be filled with a first fluid and the first fluid having a first index of refraction. The technique further includes a second bladder nested within the first bladder. The second bladder is configured to be filled with a second fluid and the second fluid has a second index of refraction. This technique is for deploying an inflatable lens that includes inflating a first bladder with a first fluid and inflating a second bladder with a second fluid. The second bladder is nested within the first bladder. The technique for deploying an inflatable lens further includes replacing the first fluid with a third fluid and replacing the second fluid with a fourth fluid.

A device for an intelligent robotic antenna is provided. The intelligent robot antenna can comprise a substrate made from a compliant material, a conductive antenna element disposed on the substrate, a sensor that sense environmental conditions around the antenna, an actuator that transforms the antenna, and artificial intelligence software that can determine an optimal structural geometry of the antenna based upon the environmental characteristics surrounding the antenna, and direct the actuator to transform the structural geometry of the antenna to an optimal structural geometry.

An AMC antenna apparatus includes a ground plane and a flexible antenna element layer above the ground plane. The ground plane includes a conductive base surface, a plurality of flexible conductors, and a frequency selective surface (FSS) layer above the base surface, where the FSS layer includes a plurality of conductive patches separated from one another. Each of the flexible conductors electrically connects one of the conductive patches to the base surface. A latch mechanism is arranged between the base layer and the FSS layer. An inflatable bladder system between the base layer and the FSS layer is configured to receive a gas input during deployment of the antenna apparatus and inflate to produce force sufficient to cause the latch mechanism to transition from an unlatched state to a latched state in which the conductive base surface is fixedly separated from the FSS layer at a predetermined distance.

An inflatable antenna may include an inflatable sock, an antenna, and an attachment port. The inflatable sock may have an inflated state and a deflated state, where the inflatable sock assumes an elongated inflated shape in the inflated state. The antenna may extend along the length of the inflatable sock. The attachment port may be configured for operable connection to an inflation mechanism.

A device for an intelligent robotic antenna is provided. The intelligent robot antenna can comprise a substrate made from a compliant material, a conductive antenna element disposed on the substrate, a sensor that sense environmental conditions around the antenna, an actuator that transforms the antenna, and artificial intelligence software that can determine an optimal structural geometry of the antenna based upon the environmental characteristics surrounding the antenna, and direct the actuator to transform the structural geometry of the antenna to an optimal structural geometry.

Systems and methods described herein include collapsible and deployable antenna structures. The antenna structures may include any combination of shape memory composites, inflatable envelopes, and/or degradable materials.

A method and system for reflecting a radar signal. First, an event for a platform is detected. Next, a number of decoy units is launched from a launcher system for the platform, wherein a decoy unit comprises an inflatable radar decoy and an inflator cartridge configured to inflate the inflatable radar decoy. Then, the inflatable radar decoy is inflated using the inflator cartridge after launching the decoy unit from the launcher system for the platform.