A lightweight and portable space frame antenna includes a first plurality of reflector panels and a second plurality of reflector panels each being sized and configured such that each one of said first plurality of reflector panels can be nested inside a corresponding one of said second plurality of reflector panels, thereby defining a nested pairing; a plurality of helical cam latching devices for joining together each of the first and second pluralities of reflector panels; a reflector hub consisting of two pieces, wherein the first and second pluralities of reflector panels are mounted on the reflector hub to form a parabolic reflector; a foldable positioner for supporting the parabolic reflector; a telescoping actuator that is structured and disposed for providing elevation adjustment and may be selectively disconnected from the parabolic reflector; and an elevation-azimuth bar that is structured and disposed for providing azimuth adjustment through a bearing-free azimuth rotation.

Antenna reflector has a reflector surface which forms a predetermined dish-like shape. The reflector surface includes an inner section which radially extends a first predetermined distance from a main dish axis. This inner section is immovably supported on a fixed backing structure. The reflector surface also includes an outer section comprising a deployable perimeter. A deployable support structure is comprised of a plurality of rib tips hingedly secured to the fixed backing structure, each having an elongated shape, and extending in a direction away from the main dish axis. The rib tips are configured to rotate on hinge members relative to the fixed backing structure from a first position in which the reflector antenna is made more compact for stowage, to a second position in which a diameter of the reflector surface is increased at a time of deployment.

Deployable reflector antenna includes a fabrication hub in which at least one additive fabrication unit disposed. The additive fabrication unit is configured to form at least one rigid structural element of a reflector antenna system. In a stowed condition, an RF reflector material comprised of a flexible webbing is disposed in a stowed configuration proximate to the fabrication hub. A fabrication control system controls the additive fabrication unit so as to form the at least one rigid structural element. The RF reflector material is arranged to transition during the additive fabrication process from the stowed configuration in which the flexible webbing material is furled compactly at the fabrication hub, to a deployed configuration in which the flexible webbing material is unfurled.

A deployable membrane structure for an antenna comprises a membrane comprising a plurality of first regions of higher-stiffness material integrally connected via one or more second regions of lower-stiffness material, wherein the one or more second regions are formed from compliant material configured to permit the membrane to be folded into a collapsed configuration and subsequently unfolded into a deployed configuration, and are arranged so as to allow adjacent ones of the plurality of first regions to be folded so as to lie against one another. In some embodiments the membrane is formed of a composite material comprising a plurality of fibres in a compliant matrix, and the plurality of first regions comprise material with a higher fibre density than the one or more second regions. A deployable antenna comprising the deployable membrane structure is also disclosed.

A lightweight and portable space frame antenna includes a first plurality of reflector panels and a second plurality of reflector panels each being sized and configured such that each one of said first plurality of reflector panels can be nested inside a corresponding one of said second plurality of reflector panels, thereby defining a nested pairing; a plurality of helical cam latching devices for joining together each of the first and second pluralities of reflector panels; a reflector hub consisting of two pieces, wherein the first and second pluralities of reflector panels are mounted on the reflector hub to form a parabolic reflector; a foldable positioner for supporting the parabolic reflector; a telescoping actuator that is structured and disposed for providing elevation adjustment and may be selectively disconnected from the parabolic reflector; and an elevation-azimuth bar that is structured and disposed for providing azimuth adjustment through a bearing-free azimuth rotation.

A deployable antenna is described. The antenna comprises a mesh attached to foldable ribs, a hub and a sub-reflector. The antenna can be stowed in a tight space for launching in space, and later deployed by extending out of its container. The antenna is designed to work in the Ka band or other bands and can increase data rates and function as a radio antenna.

A microwave antenna includes an antenna housing and a radome fabric attached to the housing, which is configured to pass microwave electromagnetic signals therethrough. The radome fabric has an opening formed therein. A vent component is attached to the radome fabric so as to cover the opening in the radome fabric when the radome fabric is viewed from an elevation view in a direction parallel to an axis extending through and perpendicular to the opening in the radome fabric. The vent component is configured to allow air to pass between the atmosphere and the antenna housing.

A multisegment array-fed reflector antenna includes a feed array consisting of a number of subarrays and a multisegment reflector to reflect multiple beams of the feed array into a number of elevation angles. A support structure couples the multisegment reflector to the feed array. The multisegment reflector includes two or more ring-focus parabolic segments, and each ring-focus parabolic segment is a parabolic surface extending along a circle around the support structure.

A foldable segmented structure includes a substantially center portion and a plurality of strut assemblies radially disposed around the center portion. Each strut assembly includes an inner and outer strut. The inner strut includes a first end portion rotatably coupled at the center portion and a second end portion rotatably coupled to the outer strut at an intermediate portion of the strut assembly. The intermediate portion is spaced apart from the center portion. At least one shell segment is disposed on at least one of the inner and outer strut. Each inner strut is configured to rotatably articulate about the first end portion in a first angular direction. Each outer strut is configured to rotatably articulate about the second end portion in a second angular direction opposite to the first angular direction to form an axially extending structure from the center portion to the intermediate portion in a stowed configuration.

A deployable antenna is described. The antenna comprises a mesh attached to foldable ribs, a hub and a sub-reflector. The antenna can be stowed in a tight space for launching in space, and later deployed by extending out of its container. The antenna is designed to work in the Ka band or other bands and can increase data rates and function as a radio antenna.