Controllable High Storage Ratio Helical Antenna for CubeSat

Continuously improving the performance of satellite antennas has always been one of the goals in the field of antennas. However, the contradiction between the payload volume and mass of the launch vehicle and the antenna size makes achieving this goal challenging. In this article, we propose a deployable helical antenna that can be mounted on a CubeSat. It achieves controllable deployment and retraction of a large-sized helical antenna using bistable composite slit tube (BCST) and enhances the overall stiffness of the antenna after deployment using tensioned strings. Compared to existing spaceborne helical antennas, the larger deployment size improves the gain the antenna can provide, while the smaller stowage volume allows it to be carried on a CubeSat. Then, the structural performance of the antenna is analyzed, and the results show that this design susbstantially enhances the structural stiffness of the antenna, achieving a fundamental frequency of 6.87 Hz. It also reduces the deformation of the antenna, minimizing performance fluctuations caused by disturbances. This design enables a 2-m helical antennas to be installed on small satellites, expanding the use cases for helical antennas. Moreover, this controllable deployment method allows the helical antenna to achieve additional functionalities.