Mechanical Development of Antenna Systems

Previous chapters in this book have described primarily the radio frequency (RF) development of antennas used on Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) spacecraft since the first Explorer flight in 1958 to the present. In this chapter, that description broadens to include issues related to the mechanical development of these and other spaceborne antenna systems. In particular, this chapter surveys historically significant antenna systems, delineates the current mechanical state-of-practice, describes antenna mechanical technology development, and finally tries to anticipate the directions of future mechanical developments for antenna systems.