Compact folded‐shorted patch array offering dual‐band operation and dual‐circularly polarized radiation for picosatellites and other small satellites

Abstract

AbstractThe development of a dual‐band folded shorted patch (FSP) antenna array is presented which offers dual‐circularly polarized radiation. Applications include small satellites like CubeSats and picosatellites. The proposed 2 × 2 FSP array design operates at 1.1 and 2.4 GHz and offers good radiation performance in terms of minimal reflection coefficient losses, broad beamwidths (which is generally required for low gain antenna structures ensuring link connectivity), as well as low cross‐polarization levels. The antenna array consists of a meandered layer defining the top of the FSPs. The shorting and folding technique as well as the noted meandering allows further size reduction of the quarter‐wavelength patch. In particular, the proposed antenna array is compact with a total size of 50 mm by 50 mm (or 0.18λ by 0.18λ at the lower operational frequency). An eight‐port coaxial and microstrip feed system is integrated onto the backside of the antenna ground plane, two ports for each element, and with external phase feeding of 90°, dual‐circularly polarized is made possible for the compact antenna unit. To the best knowledge of the authors, no similar antenna structure has been designed, manufactured and tested being useful for picosatellites and other small satellites.