Carbon/Carbon Shield/Antenna Structure

A proposed lightweight, off-axis reflector structure for a microwave communication antenna would be made of a carbon/carbon composite material. The structure was conceived for use aboard the Solar Probe spacecraft, where it would also serve as a shield to protect the spacecraft against solar radiation at perihelion. The basic concept of the carbon/carbon reflector structure could be also adapted to design lightweight, strong, off-axis reflector structures for antennas to be used on Earth.