Omnidirectional antennas were a staple of NASA’s early planetary exploration craft. Early Ranger (Blocks I through III), Mariner, and lunar-orbiting spacecraft all featured omnidirectional antenna at their apexes. For Ranger, most of the antenna remained covered, with only the very tip protruding from a conical encasing. Mariner featured longer antennas which for some missions, were encased behind grating or in a conic cover. This antenna was used on a lunar orbiter, which photographed the moon in the late 1960s to select landing sites for a human landing mission. Made mostly from aluminum, the antenna protruded directly from the side of the spacecraft. The lunar orbiters featured two antennae: high-gain with singular directional patterns, and low-gain which was omnidirectional.
Hughes Aircraft, the manufacturer of this antenna, donated it to the Museum in 1973.
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.