Analytical Approach to Develop a Robust Mechanism for On-Orbit Gimballing of Satellite Antenna

Mechanism for gimballing of antenna on-orbit is a critical appendage on any satellite. It is necessary for directed beam data transfer from satellite to ground stations. For near-real-time data transfer, the dual-axis steering of the antenna is required, which demands a two-axis steering mechanism for precise and accurate pointing of antenna. This paper details the development of a robust antenna gimbal mechanism based on a modular configuration, which fulfills varied satellite requirements, using iterative analytical studies based on finite element analysis (FEA). The configuration of the mechanism has been made robust by ensuring high natural frequency and sufficient margins for static and dynamic loads across variants of the configuration. Different configurations of the mechanism integrated with various types of antennas have been evaluated by varying specific modular parameters. A systematic overview of the approaches adopted in this process of development of robust mechanism with optimized mass, high stowed frequency and high reliability has been presented.