Miniaturized UWB (C2F4)n-Based Antenna Array for Future CubeSat Swarms

Antenna is the most crucial component of the entire CubeSat system since its functions regulate the mechanical and electrical characteristics of the entire communication network and, therefore, the spacecraft's mission coordinates. The goal of this research project is to create a compact and ultra-wideband planar antenna array for satellite images remote sensing, utilizing future CubeSat-swarm communication. It should be noted that the characteristics of planar antenna arrays at higher frequencies enable the creation of small-size, low-volume antenna arrays that can improve the quality and data rates of communication links between large numbers of swarm parts. These advantages are crucial for the next generation of tiny and ultra-small spacecraft missions, which will use the tiniest configurations—CubeSats, FemtoSats, and ZeptoSats—for both commercial and educational uses. The obtained findings demonstrate that this tiny antenna array radiates with an impedance bandwidth of about 5.50 GHz along practically the entire K-band. Additionally, it provides a strong gain of around 6.5 dBi with a very low chance of interfering with other circuits within the spaceship body. The constructed antenna array also exhibits cheap cost, low weight, low volume, good impedance matching in the Ka-band, and a return loss of around 37 dB.