CUBESAT ANTENNA DESIGN FOR MARITIME PURPOSES IN S-BAND, UHF AND VHF FREQUENCY BANDS

• Main Author: Muhammad Wildani Zain, Faiz
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/41806
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Outer space is one area that is very difficult to reach by humans, for that reason we need a spacecraft such as satellite. There are several types of satellite that has been developed, the most common satellite is GEO satellite. But making that satellite requires substantial costs and a lot of complexity. Nanosatellites are small satellites that are mostly flown on LEO with low manufacturing cost and not too complex. One implementation of nanosatellites is for maritime communication between ships and ground stations. This system is called an automatic identification system (AIS), the weakness of the terrestrial system for AIS signal receivers has distance limitations so a satellite relay point is needed to detect AIS signals and transmit data to earth station. CubeSat has a standard design for the structure with dimensions for 1U of 10x10x10 cm. The purpose of this thesis is to make an antenna that can support the entire communication system on a CubeSat with the size of 2U. In the process of implementing CubeSat, the communication system is divided into three, AIS signal receiver from the vessel, data transmission from CubeSat to ground station, and TT&C communication between ground station and CubeSat. Data transmission is performed at S-Band frequency, AIS signal receiver at VHF and TT&C system at UHF. The antennas used are microstrip for S-band frequency, monopole antenna for UHF frequency, and dipole antenna for VHF frequency. Antenna measurements are carried out in the Anechoic Chamber, antenna measurements include radiation patterns, S11 parameters, and gain. Based on the measurement results, all antennas can meet design criteria and able to fit with CubeSat structure.