CatSat 10 GHz Patch Antenna

FreeFall Aerospace’s X-band patch antenna flew on CatSat, a NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative 6U mission launched on July 4, 2024 in partnership with the University of Arizona. The 10 GHz patch antenna serves as the backup high-rate downlink for the spacecraft, complementing FreeFall’s inflatable X-band spherical high-gain antenna (the mission’s primary technology demonstration); a companion C-band patch variant acts as a radio beacon receivable by amateur radio operators worldwide. The compact, low-mass patch design suits small spacecraft where volume and power are at a premium, and demonstrates FreeFall’s portfolio of novel antenna systems for high-gain communications with minimum mass, power, complexity and cost.