Open Cosmos to support the development of novel large deployable antennas for small satellites

Harwell, April 16th, 2020

Missions using small satellite platforms are witnessing an increasing demand for high gain compact antennas. The demand is driven by missions requiring big link budgets - such as SAR or high data-rate communications - difficulty achievable on small satellites where the power is limited. Deployable antennas are able to achieve higher performances in a compact volume fitting into small satellites. The results are more capable and affordable missions, making space more accessible for a broader range of applications such as radar imagery, radio frequency monitoring or telecommunications.

The project is funded by ESA, who awarded the contract to a COMET Ingenieria-led consortium composed of Open Cosmos, COMET Ingenieria, Unidad María de Maeztu CommSensLab-UPC and EOS Engineering. All parts are joining forces to develop a large antenna reflector (between 1 and 3 meters diameter) suitable for the most demanding and advanced smallsat missions to cover market needs. The objective of the project is to demonstrate offset-fed antenna reflectors between 1 and 3 meters of boom length suitable for applications requiring from X to Ka bands (8 to 36.5GHz).

Do you have a mission or a payload requiring a high-performance deployable reflector antenna for small satellites? Do you know of anyone that could benefit from it? If so, please share this article or get in touch with us by sending an email directly here: customer-engagement@open-cosmos.com

About Open Cosmos
Open Cosmos, based in Harwell, Oxfordshire in the United Kingdom, delivers satellite-based solutions designed to tackle Earth’s biggest challenges. Open Cosmos offers its customers everything needed to bring them actionable information from space; ranging from easy-to-use mission development software and payload qualification kits, to ready-to-launch small satellite platforms and all services needed to launch and operate satellites in space.
For more information, visit www.open-cosmos.com

About COMET Ingenieria
COMET Ingeniería is a leading engineering company based in Valencia, Spain, with a strong background in space deployable structures, having developed and tested large deployable booms and reflector rings within the frame of the European Space Agency contracts. It is currently the only company in Europe that has successfully deployed a 10 meters long mast with a gravity compensation system, simulating zero-g environment.
For more information, visit https://comet-ingenieria.es/

About Unidad María de Maeztu CommSensLab-UPC
Research Unit at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-BarcelonaTech, distinguished with the "María de Maeztu" excellence research distinction, and internationally referenced in the fields on antennas, remote sensing, cubesat missions development, etc. winner of the 2017 ESA Sentinel Small Challenge - Copernicus Masters competition.
For more information, visit:
https://www.tsc.upc.edu/es/investigacion/grupos-de-investigacion/commsensla
https://nanosatlab.upc.edu/en

About EOS Engineering
Spanish company with expertise in the development of horn, patch antennas and other RF components for spacecraft.
For more information, visit https://www.grupoeosol.com/divisiones/ingenieria/aeroespacial/

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