Structure–electronic synthesis design of deployable truss antenna

This paper deals with a kind of deployable truss antenna that consists of tetrahedral modules. The structure–electronic synthesis design method is proposed and mechanical performance and electrical performance of the antenna are researched together. The basic module and structural topology are described. The coordinate of each joint, the joint angles, the length of the struts and the pattern of the joint are formulated on the basis of the topology method. By employing these formulas, numerical models of deployed and folded configuration can be built. According to the feature of the deployable truss antenna, the numerical algorithm for computing the scattered field of the antenna is developed based on geometric optics theory. The radiation integral of reflector is discrete approximated when the projection area of triangular facet onto the caliber plane is meshed by rectangular grid. Combining these two components, the structure–electronic synthesis design method of antenna is presented. A 6-meter deployable truss antenna was designed by the corresponding design procedures. The results indicated that the structure parameter and radiation-patterns of the antenna can be designed and optimized by the synthesis design method. Additionally, a scaled model of the antenna was manufactured to illustrate its feasibility.