On-Board Large Mesh Antenna Reflector with High Surface Accuracy.

An increase in the size of on-board antenna reflectors is a key technology in providing economical services by miniaturized portable equipment in future mobile satellite communication systems. In practice, a mesh antenna can be used as the on-board antenna. However, since the reflector surface of this antenna is supported by the cable and the mesh, and its size is larger, the surface is subject to larger thermal deformation in orbit than is the solid antenna reflector. Conventional compensation methods such as passive thermal control or rotation of the antenna reflector cannot maintain the required antenna performances. Various methods have been reported to compensate for the deterioration of antenna performance by thermal deformation. This paper describes a static shape control system for a 10-m diameter antenna which actively compensates for the deformation by using a shape-measuring sensor and shape-compensation actuator. The configuration of the sensor and the experimental results by a functional model are described to confirm the design validity. The shape-compensation method by the actuator was cone firmed to be useful in achieving a required surface accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]