An experiment designed to use the Space Shuttle in tests of the mechanical and electrical properties of spaceborne deployable antennas under zero-gravity conditions is outlined. Space-erectable 20-meter diameter phased arrays or reflector/feed systems, and self-deploying mechanisms, are to be tested. Reflector surface integrity will be tested by an AM laser technique, and electrical behavior will be tested by a spin-stabilized RF beacon injected into orbit prior to unfurlment of the antenna. Focusing and gain measurements, static pattern measurements, dynamic RF gain measurements, and measurements of cross-polarized signals will be conducted, and the reflector will be illuminated by separate feeds for the S-, X-, and K-bands. Mechanical features of the mesh-wrapped rib furlable antenna design are described.


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    Title :

    Large Deployable Antenna Shuttle Experiment


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    Meeting on Space Shuttle Missions of the 80''s ; 1975 ; Denver, CO


    Publication date :

    1975-08-01


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English





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