A satellite-communications gateway includes a hub and an antenna configured for satellite communications. The antenna is mounted to the hub and supported by the hub. The antenna includes a plurality of panels forming a parabolic dish. The panels are carbon fiber-reinforce polymer. The parabolic dish has a diameter in a range of 9 to 13 meters.

Systems and methods for making an antenna reflector. The methods comprise: obtaining a Carbon Nano-Tube (“CNT”) material; cutting the CNT material into a plurality of wedge shaped pieces; and bonding together the wedge shaped pieces using a resin film adhesive to form the antenna reflector with a three dimensional contoured surface.

A deployable reflector for an antenna is disclosed. The deployable reflector comprises a deployable membrane configured to adopt a pre-formed shape in a deployed configuration, and an electrically conductive mesh disposed on a surface of the membrane wherein the electrically conductive mesh is configured to permit relative lateral movement between the electrically conductive mesh and the membrane during deployment of the reflector. In the deployed configuration, the conductive mesh adopts the shape of the membrane and forms a reflective surface of the reflector. A method of manufacturing the deployable reflector is also disclosed.

A satellite-communications gateway includes a hub and an antenna configured for satellite communications. The antenna is mounted to the hub and supported by the hub. The antenna includes a plurality of panels forming a parabolic dish. The panels are carbon fiber-reinforce polymer. The parabolic dish has a diameter in a range of 9 to 13 meters.

A test installation for simulating multiple reflections of GNSS signals, the installation including a bottom screen that is reflective in the radio frequency spectrum; a top screen above the bottom screen, wherein the top screen is partly transparent in a radio frequency spectrum, and wherein the top screen is substantially dome-shaped and has a height of 1 to 3 meters; and a GNSS antenna between the top screen and the bottom screen; wherein the test installation is configured to measure the GNSS signals received by the antenna and to simulate the multipath reflections.

An antenna structure may include a solid antenna structure and a mesh antenna structure. The mesh antenna structure may be coupled to an outer edge of the solid antenna structure through two or more ribs. The two or more ribs may be configured to extend away from the solid antenna structure to expand the mesh antenna structure and increase a surface area of the antenna structure.

A reflector antenna, preferably a fixed mesh reflector antenna, and a process for manufacturing the reflector antenna, is disclosed that includes forming a support structure, placing a reflector surface on a mold, attaching the support structure to the reflector surface, measuring the geometry of the reflector surface, adjusting the surface geometry of the reflector if appropriate to obtain improved accuracy for the reflector surface, and fixedly connecting the support structure and the reflector surface. In an embodiment, the antenna reflector system includes a mesh reflector surface, a plurality of spline support elements, a plurality of splines connected to the reflector surface, and a plurality of adjustable spline supports attachable to the spline support elements and the splines, wherein the adjustable spline supports are adjustably repositionable with respect to the spline support elements, and also fixedly connectable to the spline support elements.

A deployable antenna reflector includes a surface cable network formed of a plurality of cables coupled to each other in a mesh pattern. The surface cable network includes at least one rigid rod member that reduces a maximum tensile force caused in the surface cable network.

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.

Disclosed are an antenna reflective net and an antenna reflective net mounting structure. Sliding slots are provided on side walls of the antenna reflective net mounting structure respectively. Protrusions of a base of the antenna reflective net slide into the sliding slots, and the size of the sliding slot is adapted to that of the protrusion. The protrusion is fixed in the sliding slot along a direction vertical to the sliding slot. A baffle block is provided at a distal end of the sliding slot. The baffle block restricts the protrusion from sliding along the direction of the distal end. Moreover, a limit part of an elastic pressing member of the antenna reflective net mounting structure restricts the protrusion from sliding along the direction of the entrance end of the sliding slot after the protrusion enters the sliding slot. Therefore, the antenna reflective net is easily mounted in the antenna reflective net mounting structure with high stability.