Deployable fresnel plate zone antenna for cubesats - electrical design

Abstract

CubeSats are no longer just an academic exercise, but they have become a commercial and technical solution in the space field. Improvements in miniaturization, electronics and energy have made it possible to reduce the dimensions of the spacecraft, and therefore, their antennas size. This document shows first the design and simulation of a deployable Fresnel Zone Plate type antenna. In a second stage, the manufacturing and testing is presented in two ways, using two configurations: a heavier and more robust one with a paint-based conductor and a lighter one with a silver adhesive tape-based conductor. Both results are positive, the second one being especially satisfactory and leading to subsequent studies that further improve the system.