Computer-Automated Evolution of Spacecraft X-Band Antennas

Lohn, Jason D.; Homby, Gregory S.; Linden, Derek S.

A document discusses the use of computer- aided evolution in arriving at a design for X-band communication antennas for NASA s three Space Technology 5 (ST5) satellites, which were launched on March 22, 2006. Two evolutionary algorithms, incorporating different representations of the antenna design and different fitness functions, were used to automatically design and optimize an X-band antenna design. A set of antenna designs satisfying initial ST5 mission requirements was evolved by use these algorithms. The two best antennas - one from each evolutionary algorithm - were built. During flight-qualification testing of these antennas, the mission requirements were changed. After minimal changes in the evolutionary algorithms - mostly in the fitness functions - new antenna designs satisfying the changed mission requirements were evolved and within one month of this change, two new antennas were designed and prototypes of the antennas were built and tested. One of these newly evolved antennas was approved for deployment on the ST5 mission, and flight-qualified versions of this design were built and installed on the spacecraft. At the time of writing the document, these antennas were the first computer-evolved hardware in outer space.

Document ID

20100023362

Acquisition Source

Ames Research Center

Document Type

Other - NASA Tech Brief

External Source(s)

http://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/8068

Authors

Date Acquired

August 24, 2013

Publication Date

June 1, 2010

Publication Information

Publication: NASA Tech Briefs, June 2010

Subject Category

Report/Patent Number

Distribution Limits

Public

Public Use Permitted.

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20100023362.pdf

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