Patent — available for licensing
Lightweight, Self-Deployable Helical Antenna
A NASA invention available to explore as a licensing opportunity.
About this technology
Overview
SmallSats are experiencing increasing adoption in the satellite industry. While initially used primarily for technology demonstrations in low Earth orbit (LEO), enhanced capabilities have enabled SmallSat use for a broad number of applications. Today, sending small spacecraft beyond LEO to Lunar or deep space environments is attracting both scientific and commercial interest. Such missions are mass and volume constrained, yet must provide high data rate communications. Historically, patch antennas have been used for SmallSat communications. While new antenna technologies are in development, some are not optimized for size, mass, and performance - especially beyond LEO. Engineers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center identified the need for a small form factor antenna to provide high data rate communications for such missions. In response, they developed a self-deployable helical antenna that is lightweight, low volume, and has low stowage thickness while delivering high data rate performance.