Point actuated aperture antenna development

Consistent changes in both commercial and military satellite needs have created the need for antennas with additional flexibility. Military surveillance may require the ability to focus the radiation pattern to increase the bandwidth or resolution in a certain area. Commercial satellites may need to change coverage area to meet evolving consumer needs or to compensate for adverse weather or atmospheric conditions. Recent studies on active antennas have shown that the far field radiation pattern can be changed by altering the shape of the sub reflector. In this research, we control the antenna far field radiation pattern by controlling the shape of the sub reflector using numerous point actuators placed perpendicular to the reflector surface. The PZT stack coupled with a stick-slip mechanism give the point actuators used in this design an advantage over similar studies using PZT bimorph or PVDF actuators to generate the actuation force in that the displacement can be maintained without the continuous application of voltage. An electromechanical model is used to describe the motion of the stack, and the stick slip mechanism is modeled similar to power screw-type actuators. A combined finite element/electromagnetic analysis code is used to determine the desired shape of the reflector, and the corresponding actuator displacements. The final shape of the reflector is verified using stereo photogrammetry.