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Molybdenum mesh is used for the ultralight deployable parabolic antenna of the small SAR satellite "Izanagi"

January 20.2020

Toshiba Materials’ molybdenum mesh was adopted by ultra lightweight deployable parabolic antenna on compact SAR satellite ^(*) “Izanagi”, made by Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS Inc.).
“Izanagi” is the Japan’s first 100kg class commercial radar earth observation satellite.
“Izanagi” was successfully launched on Dec. 11th 2019 in India and antenna was deployed on Dec. 16th.

Molybdenum mesh adopted as material for this antenna is a product which molybdenum is processed into thin wire, gold plated and knitted into cloth like structure.

●Link to QPS Laboratory website

●Link to molybdenum mesh product page

(＊)There are two types of sensors for earth observation satellites.Cameras that are optical systems, and SAR (synthetic aperture radars) that are radio systems.