Anywaves has marked a significant milestone by becoming the first commercial equipment provider to deploy a Reflectarray in orbit—this achievement follows the company’ earlier selection by CNES to demonstrate the technological feasibility of this type of antenna that is tailored for nanosatellites.
The Reflectarray antenna, featuring a deployable configuration and compact form factor, delivers exceptional gain and enhanced reliability through a simple, robust passive deployment mechanism. First used by NASA on the ISARA, MarCO-A, and MarCO-B missions, this type of antenna is now being deployed in orbit by Anywaves.
This technical breakthrough enables the use of very high-gain antennas while meeting the size constraints of nanosatellite platforms. The use of foldable flat panels allows for easy storage and transport on small spacecraft.
Paving the way for new high-data-rate communication capabilities, the Reflectarray, designed in the Ka-band but adaptable across various frequency bands (from X- to Ku-, including Q-/V-), is ideally suited for deployment in satellite constellations. It targets commercial LEO missions and exploration missions, representing a major competitive advantage.
With higher antenna gain, satellite operators and integrators can now opt for a more efficient system, either significantly reducing onboard power requirements or substantially increasing data rates. Designed for rapid serial production, the development of this new antenna follows a roadmap aligned with evolving market demands.
The successful deployment in orbit of this Reflectarray is the result of a collaborative effort between several space players, including COMAT and Nimésis.