cosmobloom specializes in the design, development, and sale of membrane antennas, leveraging our own analysis technology. Compared to conventional antennas, membrane antennas provide high storage capability and lightweight properties. It is suitable for CubeSat. Once deployed in orbit, these large antennas enhance satellite communication speeds and observation accuracy, enabling more advanced missions than previously possible.

Antennas that can be mounted on CubeSat

Various deployable antennas have been considered so far, but none had been developed to reduce the stowed volume and mass to levels suitable for CubeSat deployment.

The membrane antenna currently under development is compact enough to fit into a 200mm x 200mm area when it is stowed, And forms a hexagonal phased array antenna with a diameter of 1000mm when it is deployed. It is designed to be stowable in CubeSat such as 8U, 12U, or 16U sizes. This membrane antenna enables higher performance communication capabilities in CubeSats than previously possible.

Additionally, the membrane antenna under development is being designed with modularity in mind. By combining these modules as needed, it is possible to create larger antennas. For example, by assembling 7 modules, an antenna with a maximum diameter of approximately 5m can be constructed, fitting into a stowed area of about 600mm x 600mm.

Application to Next-Generation satellite communications

Recently, satellite communication constellations are being considered worldwide as the next-generation communication infrastructure. For instance, in JAXA’s Innovative Technology Demonstration Satellite No. 3, MIMO (Multi Input Multi Output) technology has been selected for demonstration in communication with IoT devices, highlighting its growing importance.

The use of large antennas in next-generation communication technologies, such as Massive MIMO, makes them highly compatible with membrane antennas. We believe that the membrane antenna we are developing can be mounted on any satellite, from ultra-small satellites to those weighing around 100kg, making it a cost-effective solution for constructing next-generation communication satellite constellations.