Spaceborne Antennas

JPL spacecraft antennas-from the first Explorer satellite in 1958to current R & D

Spaceborne Antennas for Planetary Exploration covers thedevelopment of Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) spacecraft antennas, beginning with the first Explorer satellite in 1958 through currentresearch and development activities aimed at future missions.Readers follow the evolution of all the new designs andtechnological innovations that were developed to meet the growingdemands of deep space exploration.

The book focuses on the radio frequency design and performance ofantennas, but covers environmental and mechanical considerations aswell. There is additionally a thorough treatment of all theanalytical and measurement techniques used in design andperformance assessment. Each chapter is written by one or moreleading experts in the field of antenna technology.

The presentation of the history and technology of spaceborneantennas is aided by several features:
* Photographs and drawings of JPL spacecraft
* Illustrations to help readers visualize concepts anddesigns
* Tables highlighting and comparing the performance of theantennas
* Bibliographies at the end of each chapter leading to a variety ofprimary and secondary source material

This book complements Large Antennas of the Deep Space Network(Wiley 2002), which surveys the ground antennas covered in supportof spacecraft. Together, these two books completely cover all JPLantenna technology, in keeping with the JPL Deep SpaceCommunications and Navigation Series mission to capture and presentthe many innovations in deep space telecommunications over the pastdecades.

This book is a fascinating and informative read for all individualsworking in or interested in deep space telecommunications.