Deployable and Reconfigurable Miura-Ori Reflectarray for Mission-Flexible Satellite Applications

A novel foldable and reconfigurable reflectarray antenna (RA), operating at 8.425GHz for deep space communications based on an extended Miura-Ori origami pattern is presented. The aperture leverages the properties of subdivision and a folding feature to create a packable and reconfigurable antenna capable of changing its beam from a single pencil beam to a multi-beam aperture with beamsteering ability. A mechanical and theoretical EM analysis is carried out supported by a numerical algorithm using array theory. The results show that the proposed reflectarray can achieve a high packing efficiency of 92%. This RA provides a pencil beam in the broadside at (θ = 0°, ϕ = 0) in its flat configuration and multi-beam (dual, triple and quad-beams) depending on its folding angle. For CubeSat applications, the key advantages of this RA are its decreased stowage volume, reconfigurable EM performance, beamsteering capabilities, low fabrication cost, and reduced complexity.