PBI deployable parabolic antenna systems present a new paradigm in satellite communications enabling (very) large aperture antennas used even with cubesats.

The antennas are based on shape memory materials ‘married’ to heat pipe technology.

They feature:

• no mechanical joints
• no dedicated deployment mechanisms
• simple deployment with heat
• high intrinsic reliability: high stored mechanical energy density
• scalable technology: from cubesat-compatible to multi-meter reflector assemblies: no fundamental barriers to large antennas implementation
• high volumetric packing density
• lightweight

Antennas are deployed by heat alone (no dedicated deployment mechanisms required):

• via dedicated heaters,
• directly passing electrical current through shape memory elements,
• central heater connected to heat pipes
• exposure to sunlight.

Heat pipes made of shape memory materials (first-ever) are utilized for fast deployment and large diameter reflectors.

Once deployed, antennas are insensitive to temperature changes.

Several primary parabolic reflector types possible:

• flexible material (wire mesh, metallized film) supported/stretched by shape memory ribs
• rigid self-supporting parabolic dish made of shape memory foil

Several deployable shape memory feed types possible:

• telescopic
• corrugated
• coiled tubular ribbon

Two patents awarded