Abstract: A foldable self-supporting vaulted shell for use in space, the shell comprising a thin flexible membrane and a plurality of thin battens forming ribs for tensioning said membrane. Each of the battens has a first main face and a second main face, one of the main faces facing the membrane. The membrane includes guide pocket for said battens. The guide pocket terminating at at least one end by abutment-forming end-reception means for receiving corresponding ends of the battens, and forming abutments such that in a deployed condition, the ends of the battens transmit axial force to the membrane. As a result tensioning of the membrane occurs. The shell occupies a small volume in its folded condition for storage in a launcher for the purpose of being placed into orbit. Such a shell is suitable for making microwave antennas. The invention also relates to a method of packaging such a shell.

Abstract: A planar antenna of the kind comprising feed lines disposed in a flat circuit and cooperating by hyperfrequency coupling with a metal ground plane plate pierced by apertures has the feed lines presenting a termination juxtaposed with each aperture. A lower ground plane plate is disposed at a distance of approximately a quarter wavelength from the apertured metal plate. The apertured metal plate comprises a metal coating deposited on a dielectric substrate. The feed line comprise central conductors disposed in channels which open into the apertures. The array of apertures, channels and conductors can be produced on the dielectric substate by single face printed circuit techniques. The antenna may be used for the reception of direct broadcasts from satellites.