Deployable reflector structures, deployable antenna structures, and associated components and methods

An expandable antenna structure comprising:

• at least two arms;
• an expandable structure coupled to the at least two arms;
• a reflector mesh coupled between the at least two arms and a base;
• a first carrier slidably coupled to a first arm of the at least two arms, the first carrier coupled to a section of the expandable structure on a first end of the section of the expandable structure;
• a second carrier slidably coupled to a second arm of the at least two arms, the second carrier coupled to a second end of the section of the expandable structure opposite the first end;
• a cable drive apparatus;
• and
• a driving cable coupled to the cable drive apparatus on a first end of an arm of the at least two arms, the driving cable passing around a pulley at a second end of the arm of the at least two arms opposite the first end before passing into at least one of the first carrier and the second carrier and through diagonal truss structures in the section of the expandable structure, the diagonal truss structures defining an alternating diagonal path through the section of the expandable structure from the first end of the section of the expandable structure to the second end of the expandable structure.

A method of extending an antenna, the method comprising:

• rotating at least two arms away from a base of a tower;
• spooling a drive cable onto a spool;
• sliding a first carrier along a first arm of the at least two arms;
• sliding a second carrier along a second arm of the at least two arms;
• pulling at least one of the first carrier and the second carrier along at least one of the first arm and the second arm with the drive cable driven by a cable drive apparatus on a first end of at least one of the first arm and the second arm, where the drive cable passes around a pulley at a second end of at the least one of the first arm and the second arm of the at least two arms opposite the first end before passing into at least one of the first carrier and the second carrier;
• and
• shortening a diagonal truss member of an extendable structure with the drive cable, where the diagonal truss member defines an alternating diagonal path through the extendable structure, the extendable structure is coupled to the at least two arms through the first carrier and the second carrier, and the drive cable passes through the diagonal truss member of the extendable structure causing the extendable structure to expand away from the tower stretching a reflector mesh coupled between the rotating at least two arms and the base.