United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of Nasa

Victor J Marrero-Fontanez

Cornelis Frederik Du Toit

Cornelis Frederick Du Toit

Wei-Chung Huang

Cornelis F DuToit

Justin Long

A solderless antenna includes a pair of spaced-apart electrically-conductive disks arranged in a vertical stack and a self-supporting, branched-path feed circuit. The feed circuit has a signal-receiving point and four signal paths leading to four excitation points. The first signal path is the shortest. The second signal path includes a portion of the first signal path and is longer than the first signal path. The third signal path is unique with respect to the first signal path and second signal path, and is longer than the second signal path. The fourth signal path includes a portion of the third signal path and is longer than the third signal path.

Circularly polarized solderless antenna with frequency-scalable circuit

An earth coverage antenna system includes a reflector, a feed horn and a strut. The reflector has a circularly symmetric reflector surface. The feed horn is positioned on the symmetry axis of the reflector and is attached to the strut. The feed horn transmits RF microwave energy toward the reflector surface. The antenna system further includes two cables that prevent side-ways movement of the strut. The antenna system further includes a lens assembly that directs microwave energy away from the central region of the reflector. The antenna system further includes a microwave energy scattering device disposed at the center of the reflector to scatter microwave energy away from the feed horn. The reflector surface is defined by a perturbed parabolic geometrical shape that is swept around the symmetry axis. The reflector reflects most microwave energy towards the earth's horizon, but diverts enough microwave energy towards the regions closer to nadir so as to maintain an isoflux of energy on the earth's surface. The reflector shape is optimized to minimize flux ripples caused by interference of the microwave energy scattered from the microwave energy scattering device.

Earth coverage antenna system for Ka-band communication

An antenna system includes a reflector, an offset feed horn and a support platform. The reflector has a reflector surface. The reflector and offset feed horn are attached to the support platform. The offset feed horn transmits RF microwave energy toward the reflector surface. The antenna system further includes a turntable which has a single rotation axis. The turntable rotates about the antenna rotation axis. The support platform is attached to the turntable such that the turntable rotates the support platform. The reflector surface has a perturbed paraboloid geometrical shape that reflects most RF microwave energy along a beam peak pointing direction. The reflector surface reflects RF microwave energy towards the earth's surface in such a manner that the reflected RF microwave energy illuminates a narrow strip of the earth's surface from nadir to a point near the earth's horizon with substantially constant intensity. The offset feed horn is oriented and positioned such that it points away from the beam peak pointing direction.

Ka-band high-gain earth cover antenna

Various embodiments relate to a low-profile, linearly-polarized patch antenna with parasitic elements at 5.3 GHz for the ISS C-band WiFi band. It may also use the 5.8 GHz band. A protective dome helps to meet low earth orbit space requirements.

Growing community of inventors

Greenbelt, MD, United States of America

Victor J Marrero-Fontanez