High temperature antennas for the Hermes spaceplane

Author

Ingvarson, P. ; Zackrisson, J. ; Debever, B. ; Astier, J.P. ; Arnold, T.

Author_Institution

Ericsson Radar Electronics AB, Molndal, Sweden

fYear

1991

fDate

24-28 June 1991

Firstpage

1590

Abstract

In order to survive reentry, the Hermes spaceplane is covered with a thermal protection system (TPS). In areas where antennas are located, two types are used: shingles in the hottest areas. and a flexible mattress in the less hot ones. The shingle TPS consists of C/SiC composite boxes filled with internal multiscreen insulator. The shingles are fixed to the aluminum spaceframe. The shingle antennas are integrated in the center of a shingle. Two concepts have been developed: a waveguide antenna and a patch cavity antenna. High-temperature tests have been performed on both concepts. In the tests the antennas were exposed to a thermal environment representative of an atmospheric reentry.<>

Keywords

microstrip antennas; space vehicles; thermal insulation; waveguide antennas; Al spaceframe; C-SiC composite boxes; Hermes spaceplane; atmospheric reentry; flexible mattress protection; high temperature antennas; internal multiscreen insulator; patch cavity antenna; shingles protection; thermal protection system; waveguide antenna; Aluminum; Dielectric materials; Feeds; Insulation; Optical fiber polarization; Plasma temperature; Protection; Radar antennas; Silicon carbide; Skin;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Antennas and Propagation Society International Symposium, 1991. AP-S. Digest

Conference_Location

London, Ontario, Canada

Print_ISBN

0-7803-0144-7

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/APS.1991.175158

Filename

175158