Antenna system including spherical reflector with metamaterial edges

A method for controlling an antenna system having a spherical reflector that includes a plurality of metamaterials sections, the method comprising:

• determining, by one or more processors, one or more radiofrequency (RF) beams to be formed by the antenna system based on a location of the antenna system of a terminal and a target location;
• determining, by the one or more processors, one or more reflector sections or one or more transparent sections in the plurality of metamaterials sections for the one or more RF beams;
• applying, by the one or more processors, an electrical signal to one or more of the plurality of metamaterials sections to cause the one or more of the metamaterials sections to become reflective of or transparent to an RF beam according to the one or more reflector sections and the one or more transparent sections;
• and
• causing, by the one or more processors, the antenna system to transmit the one or more RF beams.

A non-transitory computer readable medium on which instructions are stored, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors in a high-altitude platform (HAP) node, cause the one or more processors to perform a method for controlling an antenna system, the method comprising:

• determining one or more radiofrequency (RF) beams to be formed by the antenna system based on a location of the HAP and a target location, the antenna system including a spherical reflector including a plurality of metamaterials sections;
• determining one or more reflector sections or one or more transparent sections in the plurality of metamaterials sections for the one or more RF beams;
• applying an electrical signal to one or more of the plurality of metamaterials sections to cause the one or more of the metamaterials sections to become reflective of or transparent to an RF beam according to the one or more reflector sections and the one or more transparent sections;
• and
• causing, the antenna system to transmit the one or more RF beams.