unfurlable antenna is antenna which can be unfolded in space to form a bigger antenna
Carbon Fibre Reinforced Silicone Reflecting Surface is used for unfurlable reflector antennas.CFRS reflecting shell-membrane is composed of the two materials: triaxially woven carbon fiber fabric (TWF) and room temperature cure silicone elastomer S 690.
CFRS is a relatively recent development. Older satellites would typically have used knitted metal mesh (see the old lunar rover antenna ). According to Harris, the big reflector antennas used on the Navy's MUOS satellites launched last year are unfurlable mesh as well. The evidence from the videos on their website for the Sirius and ICO G1 satellites is gold mesh (or more likely gold plated mesh), as described in the ICO video. Granted those predate the work on CFRS, but I would think that from an efficiency standpoint, metalization is still important over the performance of a composite carbon fiber reflector like you might use on terrestrial applications.
http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/image_of-LRV-antenna.jpg
https://www.harris.com/press-releases/2016/11/harris-corporation-unfurlable-mesh-reflectors-successfully-deploy-on-fifth-us
https://www.harris.com/solution/unfurlable-mesh-reflector-antennas
hello Kishan,
check also these papers, you find further informations.
https://www.harris.com/impact/2016/06/harris-revolutionizes-space-antenna-production-with-emerging-technology
this site is helpful in gathering information regarding space antennas
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