Ibadan, 28 May 2025. – Dcubed has won a €1.3 million contract from the European Space Agency to develop a new class of rollable satellite antennas. The project, called LARA (Lightweight Antenna with Rollable Array), will result in a 5m² reflectarray or transmit-array system designed for easy deployment, mass production, and next-gen performance in orbit.
Leveraging Dcubed’s rollable and origami-inspired designs, LARA aims to offer a lighter, simpler, and far more scalable alternative to traditional antenna systems. The design draws on heritage from Dcubed’s Origami Solar Arrays, Reflect Array and ISM Solar Array projects, but transitions the focus from solar energy to radio frequency (RF) communication, while continuing the shift from rigid to rollable surfaces.
The planned antenna will subsequently feature an aperture of at least five square meters and operate in the L- or S-band—potentially even higher frequencies, depending on mission needs. Furthermore, Dcubed will build the antenna around a passive mechanical deployment system using rollable elements.
As the project’s prime and sole contractor, Dcubed will consequently leverage its in-house mechanical engineering, RF design, and deployment systems expertise, enabling faster progress from concept to test article to flight hardware. This approach also streamlines iteration and testing, which is crucial for deployables that need to perform perfectly—once and only once—in orbit.
LARA’s development will also include the development of a complete manufacturing and assembly process optimized for serial production. For Dcubed, LARA will serve as the foundation for scalable product lines that will be built and deployed quickly, reliably, and at lower cost.
