Compact Circularly Polarized Smart Antenna System for CubeSat IDRS Application

Intersatellite Data Relay System (IDRS) is a critical technology for emerging satellite communications. It allows a constellation of satellites to form a network on themselves and hence gains constant link to & from the ground. CubeSat is the cutting-edge concept in commercial satellite industry. It features a miniatured size with multiple units of 10×10×10 cm ³ blocks. To realize IDRS on a CubeSat is a major challenge in both industry and academic. Compact electrically steered smart antenna is the only solution. This paper presents a design of a circularly polarized (CP) antenna array together with its RF frontend flowchart. The smart antenna system achieves small size by utilizing end-firing CP antenna as its element. Simulations of different application scenarios are shown. Concerned specifications such as G\T and sidelobe level are taken into account. The design concept is found suitable for both space and personal mobile satellite ground terminals.