A novel antenna concept for future solar sails missions

Nearly all interplanetary missions have solely been dependent on some kind of chemical propellant for spacecraft navigation. Recent studies have shown that interplanetary missions may be made possible using a deployable solar sails, which employ solar flux power providing thrust for spacecraft while reducing on board fuel requirements. These sails require a large surface area (i.e. 100 m diameter) to capture enough solar flux for spacecraft navigation. An interesting question could be asked if one would be able to use the sails for creating an effective means for communications. In this paper, a novel communication antenna concept is proposed for future solar sails missions by taking advantage of the large surface area of the solar sail via application of zone plate Fresnel antennas. This study focuses on utilizing a design/analysis methodology for the Fresnel antennas which may be applicable to solar sail missions.