A Design of Isoflux Radiation Pattern Microstrip Patch Antenna for LEO Medium-sized Satellites

Abstract

In this paper, a microstrip antenna with isoflux radiation patterns is presented for Low Earth Orbit(LEO) medium-sized satellites. Because of making isoflux patterns, the ground of proposed antenna under the patch was transform into a trapezoid for adjusting fringing field between the patch and ground. Next, the cavity walls were located at end of the ground for reducing back radiation. The proposed antenna was designed to receive S-band uplink(2.025 ~ 2.110 GHz) and the dimensions of the designed antenna with the ground are 160 mm × 160 mm × 40 mm(1.1λ × 1.1λ × 0.3λ, λ is the free-space wavelength at 2.068 GHz). Measured -10 dB bandwidth was 90 MHz(4.4 %) and it covers the required system bandwidth. Also, measured 3 dB axial ratio was 18 MHz(0.9 %). On the other hand, measured radiation patterns were isoflux patterns and its measured gain was 5.31 dBi at E-plane 46° in the y-axis pol.