X-Band Series-Fed Microstrip Antenna Array for CubeSat
Year: 2026
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: This paper proposes a concept for placing a highgain X-band microstrip antenna array on the backside of a deployable CubeSat solar panel. In many missions, particularly those focused on Earth observation, this surface is typically not used for the placement of functional elements, which makes it a promising location for antenna system integration. A fourport, series-fed microstrip array with a 14 × 4 configuration (56 square patch elements) is designed and numerically analyzed on an RO4350 substrate$\left(h=1.52 \text{mm}, \varepsilon_{r}=3.66\right)$. According to the numerical results, the resonant frequency is 8.16 GHz, while impedance matching better than -10 dB is achieved over the 8.10-8.22 GHz band (approximately$\mathbf{120 MHz}$bandwidth), with a minimum$\left \vert S_{11}\right \vert$of about -32 dB and VSWR$\leq 1.05$. The radiation characteristics at 8.16 GHz demonstrate a maximum realized gain of approximately 22.8 dB and a narrow main beam with$\mathbf{H P B W} \approx 7.1^{\circ}$, while the sidelobe level is around -11 dB. The obtained results confirm the suitability of the proposed array for onboard X-band CubeSat radio systems requiring high gain and narrow beamwidth.
Language: English
Topic: Antenna Design and Analysis
Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7202296701