Research progress and prospect of electromagnetic functional structure of aerospace vehicles

Aerospace vehicles represent a new class of equipment with highly integrated structural and electromagnetic characteristics. This integration demands the seamless fusion of load-bearing, high-temperature resistance, and other mechanical properties with advanced electromagnetic functionalities such as wave transparency, stealth, and radio frequency. Such a combination is essential to meet the complex and demanding requirements of modern aerospace applications. First, this paper conducts a comprehensive analysis of the primary features and practical requirements of aerospace vehicles. Through meticulous research and study, a tetrahedral design framework is established that integrates Load-bearing, Wave-transparent, Stealth, and Radio-frequency (LWSR). The scientific implications of the functions at each vertex of the tetrahedron are elaborated in detail, providing a profound understanding of the underlying principles and mechanisms. Second, the latest advancements in three typical types of electromagnetic functional structures for aerospace vehicles are reviewed, including radome structures, stealth skin structures, and integrated conformal antenna structures. Finally, the future development trends of electromagnetic functional structures for aerospace vehicles are thoroughly explored, discussing key challenges such as multi-physical field coupling, adaptation to extreme environments, multifunctional integration, intelligent perception and response, and control mechanisms.