Integrated Solar Array and Reflectarray Antenna (ISARA)
Project Description
The ISARA mission will demonstrate a Ka-band reflectarray antenna that will increase downlink data rates for small spacecraft from the typical existing rates of about 10 kilobits per second (kbps) to approximately 100 megabits per second (Mbps). This technology maintains compatibility with existing ground stations and is extensible to antennas for radar systems. For the demonstration mission, the reflectarray antenna has been integrated onto the back side of a commercial deployable solar array that is easily stowed along the body of the 3U CubeSat.
More »Anticipated Benefits
The radio communication technology flown on ISARA has the potential to greatly increase the data downlink capability for CubeSats to up to 100 Mb/s while maintaining compatibility with legacy ground stations. This will extend the capability of CubeSats and further enable their use for CubeSats high value data-intensive science missions. Additionally the antenna technology is directly applicable to radar instruments and could enable new remote sensing capabilities within the CubeSat form factor.
More »Project Library
Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) | Lead Organization | FFRDC/UARC | Pasadena, California |
| Pumpkin Inc. | Supporting Organization | Industry | San Francisco, California |
| The Aerospace Corporation | Supporting Organization | Industry | Los Angeles, California |
Primary U.S. Work Locations
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California
