Electrostatically Actuated X-Band Mesh Reflector with Bend-Formed Support Structure

Increasing the size of radio frequency (RF) reflectors in space can enhance gain and spatial resolution in applications such as space-based communication and remote sensing. The size of current passive deployable reflectors is limited by a tradeoff between diameter and surface precision, which causes RF performance to degrade as size increases. A promising approach to overcome this tradeoff is to combine in-space manufacturing, which enables large structures, with distributed embedded actuation, which enables precise control over the reflector surface. Here we demonstrate a reflector antenna system that integrates these two technologies, using a candidate in-space manufacturing process, termed “Bend-Forming,” with embedded electrostatic actuators. We design and fabricate a 1-m-diam prototype of an electrostatically actuated X-band reflector with a knitted gold-molybdenum mesh as the reflector surface, carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic booms as electrodes, and a truss support structure fabricated with Bend-Forming. We characterize the RF performance of this reflector, successfully demonstrating i) control over a wide range of focal lengths by suppressing a pull-in instability and ii) beam steering over an angular range of 4.2° via asymmetric electrostatic actuation. This work lays the foundation for future space communication and remote sensing technologies, offering a scalable solution to enhance RF performance through in-space manufacturing and precision control.