Design of an Electronically Steered Phased Antenna Array for a CubeSat

CubeSats are small satellites that make satellite-based research, exploration, and education significantly more accessible. Current CubeSat communications systems are limited by low-frequency, low-gain antennas with mechanical beam steering. This paper presents a comprehensive study on the development and design of an electronically steered phased antenna array to improve data transmission capabilities. The primary objective is to investigate and optimize the design by considering the antenna type, frequency band, number of elements, and inter-element spacing. The antennas are designed and simulated using Matlab and CST Studio Suite. The final design is a result of an iterative design procedure. A K-band 8x8 patch array with a coaxial line feed and a Dolph-Chebyshev amplitude distribution is shown to achieve electronic beam steering successfully and outperforms the other designs presented. The designs in this report provide a foundation to build and test a practical high-performance CubeSat antenna with the prospect of outperforming current commercial solutions.