Antenna reflector reconfigurable in service

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The invention is an in-service reconfigurable antenna reflector having a rigid support structure, a deformable reflective surface with radio reflection properties and actuators operating on the deformable reflective surface to deform it, wherein the reflective surface is elastically deformable with stiffness in bending and the actuators operate at control points of the deformable reflective surface, transversely thereto.
According to possibly combinable preferred features of the invention the reflective surface which has stiffness in bending is a layer of glass fiber reinforced plastic material, and the fibers are electrically conductive.
The reflective surface is made from a composite material based on carbon fibers impregnated with a thermosetting resin.
The fibers are electrically non-conductive and the plastic material layer is covered with a metal film.
The metal film is deposited in a vacuum, or is adhesively bonded.
The deformable reflective surface is a flexible reflective layer supported by an elastically deformable support layer having stiffness in bending, wherein the reflective layer is fixed to the support layer by sewing or by adhesive bonding.
The support layer is a grid formed by strips or wires having stiffness in bending, which grid may be formed of metal strips or wires, or of wires or strips made from fibers coated with a thermosetting or thermoplastic material.
The fibers may be glass fibers, aramide fibers or carbon fibers.
The mesh size of the grid is between 10 mm and 1 m, and the grid is fixed at its periphery to the rigid support structure and the wire or strips having stiffness in bending are connected to it with at least freedom to move parallel to themselves.
The reflective layer flexible in bending may be a metalized flexible plastic material film, may be knitted from electrically conductive wire, or may be woven from electrically conductive fibers or wires.
The actuators can be piezo-electric linear actuators, or can be a rotary motor, having a lead screw and a nut cooperating with the lead screw