Antennas on CubeSat Platforms: Accurate RF Predictions

A typical 3U and 6U CubeSat hosting antennas ranging from the low UHF to the higher Ka band are modelled in the ESTEAM software package. The antennas are inspired by recent designs published in the literature. RF performances of the antennas installed on the CubeSats are computed with the MoM/MLFMM full wave analysis method and compared with the ones in the absence of the CubeSat platform. The results show that the RF performances of the antennas are substantially changed once these are installed on the CubeSats, indicating that platform scattering and coupling with the neighboring antennas must be included and accounted for already in the antenna design phase.