Wraparound S-band and GPS antenna arrays for sounding rocket sub-payload

The objective of this study is to determine a reliable and relatively simple antenna solution for a sounding rocket sub-payload. The sub-payload is a cylinder with a diameter of 6 inches and a height of 4 inches. The communication system requires S band and GPS antennas. In order to enable the payload to spin stably after launching, it is desirable to have both antennas conformal to the payload surface. Both antennas are required to provide a smooth omni-directional pattern, and therefore creating challenges as one needs multiple antennas to achieve the requirement on the limited payload surface area. Another challenge is to create a reliable circular polarized antenna that will be used as GPS antenna on the cylindrical surface.