[amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

[Gary "Joe" Mayfield]

The thermal cycling would make a gas "Bag" antenna interesting as the gas
expands and contracts with temperature changes.

I like Bob's idea of an array of collinears lying on the moon's surface,
since "ground" on the moon must be quite deep due to the lack of moisture.  

This makes 2 meters very attractive as a down-link.  We could take advantage
of the reduced path loss and higher efficiencies in the circuits that 2
meters (or ten meters) has to offer.

I suspect it would be possible to build such antenna that uses a "wound up"
spring to unwind the antennas for deployment, like a reverse tape measure
that uncoils instead of coils up.

73,
Joe kk0sd
-----Original Message-----
From: amsat-bb-bounces at amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces at amsat.org] On
Behalf Of Gordon JC Pearce
Sent: Friday, July 03, 2009 11:41 AM
To: amsat-bb at amsat.org
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: The Moon is our Future

On Thu, 2009-07-02 at 18:21 -0500, Gregg Wonderly wrote:
> It seems to me that the correct choice is the highest frequency we can get
on 
> board for at least 24dB at the longest length of antenna that we would be 
> allowed to send up.

Lunar gravity is weaker and there is no wind.  So, a collapsible antenna
that wouldn't last five minutes in typical Earth weather will be a lot
more usable on the Moon.

Maybe something like a telescopic boom with a gas canister or pyro
charge to pop the sections out?

Gordon

_______________________________________________
Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb