Session
Frank J. Redd Student Competition
Location
Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Abstract
As small satellite missions evolve, spacecraft platforms increasingly integrate radio-frequency (RF) antennas to support telemetry, command, and inter-satellite communication links that must be verified following full system integration. Recent changes in launch site safety policy, most notably SpaceX’s ban on over-the-air (OTA) testing, have created a critical gap in the ability to qualify spacecraft communication systems during testing at the launch site. This paper presents the design, qualification, and implementation of modular RF containment enclosures, known as ’antenna hats’, developed to enable safe, non-OTA testing of fully integrated small satellites. The antenna hats are self-contained enclosures that interface directly with the spacecraft structure, incorporating electromagnetic interference (EMI) gaskets, magnetically loaded elastomeric absorbers, and custom-built probe antennas to confine RF energy, suppress cavity resonances, and provide a controlled coupling path for the spacecraft radios. The behavior of the internal network was evaluated with and without the hats, demonstrating that their implementation reduced frequency-dependent spikes in return loss and replicated nominal operating parameters. The final configuration achieved safe antenna loading with worst-case return loss exceeding 13 dB against a self-imposed 10 dB requirement. Radiated emission testing demonstrated reductions in E-Field strength of approximately 30–57 dB outside the hats compared to uncontained OTA operation across X-band and L-band transmitters. The antenna hats were approved for use and implemented at SpaceX throughout numerous multi-spacecraft launch campaigns, enabling late-stage RF testing without anechoic chambers or OTA emissions for six spacecraft to date. They provide a practical, customizable solution for small satellite missions operating in increasingly restrictive RF testing environments.
Document Type
Event
Design, Qualification, and Implementation of Modular Spacecraft Radio Testing Enclosures for Small Satellite Missions
Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT
As small satellite missions evolve, spacecraft platforms increasingly integrate radio-frequency (RF) antennas to support telemetry, command, and inter-satellite communication links that must be verified following full system integration. Recent changes in launch site safety policy, most notably SpaceX’s ban on over-the-air (OTA) testing, have created a critical gap in the ability to qualify spacecraft communication systems during testing at the launch site. This paper presents the design, qualification, and implementation of modular RF containment enclosures, known as ’antenna hats’, developed to enable safe, non-OTA testing of fully integrated small satellites. The antenna hats are self-contained enclosures that interface directly with the spacecraft structure, incorporating electromagnetic interference (EMI) gaskets, magnetically loaded elastomeric absorbers, and custom-built probe antennas to confine RF energy, suppress cavity resonances, and provide a controlled coupling path for the spacecraft radios. The behavior of the internal network was evaluated with and without the hats, demonstrating that their implementation reduced frequency-dependent spikes in return loss and replicated nominal operating parameters. The final configuration achieved safe antenna loading with worst-case return loss exceeding 13 dB against a self-imposed 10 dB requirement. Radiated emission testing demonstrated reductions in E-Field strength of approximately 30–57 dB outside the hats compared to uncontained OTA operation across X-band and L-band transmitters. The antenna hats were approved for use and implemented at SpaceX throughout numerous multi-spacecraft launch campaigns, enabling late-stage RF testing without anechoic chambers or OTA emissions for six spacecraft to date. They provide a practical, customizable solution for small satellite missions operating in increasingly restrictive RF testing environments.
