Ultra-low cost high performance satellite aperture

A method for receiving radio waves at an antenna system of a satellite, comprising:

• receiving one or more first signals using a plurality of antenna elements, the one or more first signals corresponding to a training signal transmitted by a first transmitter, wherein the plurality of antenna elements are coupled to an antenna receiver via a plurality of respective couplings, wherein the antenna system is packaged for deployment in a compact arrangement of the plurality of respective couplings, and wherein during deployment of the antenna system in space the plurality of antenna elements are spread over an aperture area of the antenna system while respective deployed positions of the plurality of antenna elements within the aperture area are not predetermined;
• associating each of the plurality of antenna elements with a first respective time of arrival based at least in part on the one or more first signals;
• receiving one or more second signals using the plurality of antenna elements, the one or more second signals corresponding to a data signal transmitted by a second transmitter;
• and
• combining the one or more second signals according to a plurality of coefficients determined based at least in part on associations between the plurality of antenna elements and the first respective time of arrivals.