Tilt-Flaps Low-inertia Communications Antenna

Malibu Research has devised a totally new concept for antenna beam scanning based on our "FLAPS" phased-surface technology, which we believe will have major commercialization potent for replacement of conventional gimbal-scanned antennas in space and on the ground. In this concept, the antenna feed is fixed and only the (non- parabolic) reflector is rotated to produce beam scan. This cannot be done with a conventional reflector. This technique eliminates lossy RF rotary joints and typically results in ~8:1 reduction drive mass and power due to a 2:1 scan- angle amplification and reduced rotational inertia. T FLAPS surface also allows separate V/H polarization focal points and other features for achievement of very high polarization isolation. We propose the development of a 2-axis-scanning W-band (94 GHz) antenna to satisfy t requirement for a millimeter wave cloud radar antenna in an affordable low-mass design. proposed SBIR Phase 1 effort will lead to fabrication and test of a proof-of-principle demonstration and can then be enlarged and refined for space applications in future phase(s).