Solar-panel integrated circularly polarized meshed patch for CubeSats and other small satellites

This paper presents the design of a circularly polarized (CP) meshed patch antenna fully integrated within a solar panel for operation on CubeSats and other microsatellites. The structure has been designed to ensure optimal antenna performance at S -band as well as to minimize any shadowing effects that can reduce the received power at the solar cells. To generate CP, the antenna is driven by two orthogonal feed points, penetrating through a transparent borosilicate glass layer, as well as a silicon and PCB substrate. Simulated and measured performances, on both a preliminary FR4 design and a fully integrated prototype, demonstrate a good impedance bandwidth, satisfactorily axial ratio, as well as stable radiation patterns and minimum shadowing levels. The proposed antenna can be useful for communications between satellites as well as with the ground station, and since the structure is compact and completely integrated, the design can be an alternative approach to new-phased arrays on solar panels and other beam-steering systems.