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Miniaturized Folded-Slot CubeSat MIMO Antenna Design with Pattern Diversity
Rifaqat Hussain1, Khaled Aljaloud2, Abida Shaheen Rao3
1Electrical Engineering Department, King Fahd University for Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|October 27, 2022
Summary
This study introduces a compact folded slot antenna for CubeSats operating in the ultra-high frequency (UHF) band. The design achieves miniaturization and pattern diversity for enhanced multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) performance in small satellite applications.
Area of Science:
- Electrical Engineering
- Aerospace Engineering
- Antenna Theory
Background:
- CubeSats require miniaturized antennas for the ultra-high frequency (UHF) band.
- Existing antenna designs often face limitations in size and performance for small satellite applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a novel folded slot-based multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) antenna design for Cube Satellite (CubeSat) applications.
- To achieve antenna miniaturization and pattern diversity for improved MIMO performance in the UHF band.
Main Methods:
- A reactively loaded meandered slot with a folded structure was employed for miniaturization.
- Four antenna elements were integrated onto a 1U CubeSat platform (100 mm × 100 mm × 100 mm).
- Element placement was optimized to achieve pattern diversity.
Main Results:
- The proposed antenna operates over a wide frequency band (430–510 MHz).
- Pattern diversity was successfully achieved through strategic element placement.
- Good multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) diversity performance was demonstrated.
Conclusions:
- The miniaturized, wide-band, pattern-diverse antenna design is suitable for UHF CubeSat applications.
- This design addresses the need for high-performance antennas in small satellite missions.
- The proposed antenna offers a viable solution for enhancing communication capabilities in CubeSats.
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