Quadrupole Antennas for Cubesats: Radiation Characteristics in Different Configurations and Initial Results

Abstract

In a CubeSat design, analyzing the antenna radiation diagram is vital for the study of the link budget and the pointing budget. Quadrupole antennas are widely used in CubeSats, and their radiation patterns change depending on the array configuration and CubeSat structure variations. Although manufacturers adjust antennas relative to the CubeSat structure, understanding the radiation characteristics of quadrupole arrays can facilitate initial mission planning. This paper describes initial studies of radiation characteristics in CubeSats with quadrupole antennas, including monopole, dipole, v-dipole, and turnstile configurations. Simulations were performed using HFSS software, and measurements were made in an anechoic chamber. A 2U CubeSat structure was used for the study, as it was the one available for testing. All quadrupole configurations were simulated, from which radiation patterns were obtained. Initially, the simulation results were compared with real measurements of the antenna when it was in a monopole configuration, and both methods showed a correlation. Future tests will extend this to other quadrupole configurations and CubeSat structures of varying sizes.