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Dissertation_Welch_02132020.pdf (17.39 MB)

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Shape Validation and RF Performance of Inflatable Antennas

Welch, Bryan William
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5525-6113
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1581609778706776

Abstract Details

2020, Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering, Cleveland State University, Washkewicz College of Engineering.
Inflatable aperture antennas are an emerging technology that is being investigated for potential use in science and exploration missions. In particular, for missions to Mars and beyond, large deployable aperture antennas can provide the antenna gain required for high data rate communications, where the necessary antenna diameter exceeds the available volume of typical launch vehicle platforms. As inflatable aperture antennas have not been proven fully qualified for space missions, the author’s Master’s Thesis assessed the Ruze equation in characterizing this antenna technology. Inflatable aperture antennas do not follow a parabolic shape, and so the Ruze equation is not applicable due to the macroscopic shape errors of this technology. Therefore, geometric evaluations of the surface profile cannot simply correlate antenna gain degradation with the root-mean-square shape error with a parabolic surface. Consequently, the focus of this work was to derive an accurate mathematical model of an inflatable aperture antenna in order to characterize its Radio Frequency (RF) performance. Calculus of Variations methodologies were used to derive the surface profile shape of the inflatable aperture antenna. Physical Optics techniques were used to generate the antenna pattern profile. Validation testing of the predicted inflatable antenna shape model was performed through use of Laser Radar metrology measurements on an inflatable test article. Assessments of the RF performance of the inflatable aperture antenna, compared with nominally shaped solid paraboloidal antennas, were obtained through simulations of both technologies using a common diameter, depth, and arc length. Assessments of the RF performance of the inflatable aperture antenna was also performed against itself for changes in distance of the antenna feed location in the axial direction. Whereas the Ruze equation is limited to assessing gain reduction, this effort will also assess beam spreading and first side lobe angle and magnitude. The ability to characterize the RF response of this antenna will provide for an improved understanding of this technology. The accurate representation of the shape of this type of antenna technology will help to identify the most appropriate ways in which this technology could be utilized in planning future communication architectures for NASA missions to Mars and beyond.
Murad Hizlan (Advisor)
Chansu Yu (Committee Chair)
Lili Dong (Committee Member)
Nigamanth Sridhar (Committee Member)
Eugenio Villaseca (Committee Member)
Ulrich Zurcher (Committee Member)
205 p.
Applied Mathematics; Electrical Engineering; Electromagnetism; Physics
calculus of variations; physical optics; antenna theory

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Welch, B. W. (2020). Shape Validation and RF Performance of Inflatable Antennas [Doctoral dissertation, Cleveland State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1581609778706776

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Welch, Bryan. Shape Validation and RF Performance of Inflatable Antennas. 2020. Cleveland State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1581609778706776.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Welch, Bryan. "Shape Validation and RF Performance of Inflatable Antennas." Doctoral dissertation, Cleveland State University, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1581609778706776

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

csu1581609778706776
195
© 2020, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Cleveland State University and OhioLINK.