Patent ID: 10053240

Abstract:
A spacecraft includes an aft surface, a forward surface and a main body structure disposed therebetween, a stowage and deployment arrangement (SDA) joined to the main body structure by a first mechanical coupling, and an antenna that includes a respective feed element and a rigid antenna reflector coupled with the main body by way of the SDA. The feed element is joined to the main body structure by a second, different, mechanical coupling. The spacecraft is reconfigurable from a launch configuration, with the reflector is disposed forward of the forward surface, with its aperture plane substantially parallel to the forward surface, to an on-orbit configuration. The SDA repositions the reflector to a second position corresponding to the on-orbit configuration. In the second position, the reflector is disposed, Earth facing, substantially aft of the forward surface and outboard of the main body structure and is illuminated by the respective feed element.