The antenna layers aerogel between a small circuit board and thin copper cells, with an insulating film on top. NASA says the polymer aerogel is 95% air and can be made flexible or rigid. Its design can conform to an aircraft's shape, saving weight and space while reducing drag, according to the agency. [S1]
In summer 2024, researchers tested a rigid version aboard a Britten-Norman Defender during a U.S. Navy flight demonstration in Maryland. In ground tests beginning that October at NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, researchers and Eutelsat America connected an antenna to a geostationary satellite; other Glenn demonstrations connected the system to Kepler's low Earth orbit satellites. [S1]
For people who may eventually rely on autonomous air taxis or live alongside delivery drones, communication is a safety issue. NASA researcher Bryan Schoenholz said losing a link would create an unsafe situation. The antenna's radio beam can be steered electronically to maintain a connection, NASA says; the agency planned to design, build and test a flexible version later in 2025. [S1]
Source documents
- NASA Tests Ultralight Antennas to Benefit Future National Airspacehttps://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/glenn/nasa-tests-ultralight-antennas-to-benefit-future-national-airspace/