Wideband Reflectarray Design for CubeSat Applications in X-Band

Abstract:

This study presents the development of a reflectarray antenna tailored for CubeSat missions. To support future industrial deployment, the design is built around a broadband unit cell capable of operating over a large portion of the X-band, specifically between 7 and 10 GHz—frequencies aligned with key application needs for such systems.

The architecture follows a modular philosophy, using panels roughly equivalent to a 6U format. The baseline version relies on three panels that deploy in two successive stages. When properly optimized, this configuration delivers more than 26 dBi of gain across the full target bandwidth. The concept also allows the addition of extra panels to further increase gain, though this introduces additional complexity in the deployment mechanism.

Central to the performance is the behavior of the unit cell itself, whose numerical evaluation demonstrates stable operation throughout the intended frequency range. A preliminary layout of the three-panel reflectarray is also examined, confirming its effective focusing characteristics and validating the feasibility of the proposed design.