NASA has been developing an advanced antenna made of lightweight material intended to enhance satellite communications in situations with limited power and space.
Aerogel Antenna
The agency said Tuesday its engineers are using aerogel, among the world’s lightest solid material and made of flexible polymer with 95 percent air content, to build the antenna that will be embedded directly on the skin of aircraft such as drones and future air transportation systems. The active phased array aerogel antenna is designed to conform to the shape of the aircraft to enhance aerodynamic performance and save valuable weight and space. In addition, it can adjust its array elements to minimize signal interference and boost communication.
To create the antenna, a layer of aerogel was integrated between a small circuit board and a network of thin copper cells. It was then covered with a film with high electrical insulation properties, resulting in a honeycomb-like device.
NASA In-Flight and Ground Tests
NASA researchers demonstrated a rigid version of the aerogel antenna in 2024. The antenna was integrated on a Britten-Norman Defender aircraft and flight tested at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland.
In October, NASA and Eutelsat America researchers conducted ground tests of the antenna. The platform-mounted antenna connected with an Eutelsat satellite in geostationary orbit, which sent a signal back to a satellite dish at the Glenn Research Center in Ohio. Tests conducted by Kepler also showed the antenna’s ability to connect to communications satellites in low Earth orbit.
