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Antenna Surface Contour Control SystemThe invention is a system for automatically controlling the surface contour of a deployable and restowable antenna having a mesh reflector surface supported by a circular, folding hoop affixed to a central, telescoping column. The antenna, when deployed, forms a quad-aperture reflector with each quadrant of the mesh surface shaped to provide an offset parabolic radio frequency (RF) reflector. The hoop is supported and positioned by quartz support cords attached to the top of a column and by lower graphite hoop control cords that extend between the hoop and base of the column. The antenna, an RF reflective surface, is a gold plated molybdenum wire mesh supported on a graphite cord truss structure that includes the hoop control cords and a plurality of surface control cords attached at selected points on the surface and to the base of the column. The contour of the three-dimensional surface of the antenna is controlled by selectively adjusting the lengths of the surface control cords and the graphite hoop control cords by means of novel actuator assemblies that automatically sense and change the lengths of the lower hoop control cords and surface control cords.
Document ID
19890015992
Acquisition Source
Langley Research Center
Document Type
Other - Patent
External Source(s)
LAR-13798-1
Authors
Elvin L Ahl
(Langley Research Center Hampton, United States)
James B Miller
(Langley Research Center Hampton, United States)
Date Acquired
August 13, 2013
Publication Date
March 7, 1989
Publication Information
Publisher: United States Patent and Trademark Office
Subject Category
Communications And Radar
Accession Number
89N25363
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
Patent
US-PATENT-4,811,033
Patent Application
US-PATENT-APPL-SN-118995
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