Session
Poster Session 2026
Location
Orem, UT
Start Date
5-4-2026 9:49 AM
Description
Buck converters are commonly used in CubeSats to regulate voltage, but their fast switching behavior can create electromagnetic interference (EMI) inside tightly packed structures. This work looks at how radiated noise from a buck-converter-like source spreads inside a simplified 1U CubeSat and which regions are most affected. A computational electromagnetics approach was used in ANSYS HFSS, where the converter was modeled as a loop on an FR4 board. Experimental S-parameter measurements were also taken for open and shielded setups to see how shielding changes coupling. The results show that EMI does not stay localized near the source and is strongly affected by enclosure geometry, nearby conductors, and grounding. This work shows how layout, shielding, and return paths can help reduce EMI in compact spacecraft.
Experimental Analysis of Electromagnetic Interference From Buck Converters in CubeSat Enclosures
Orem, UT
Buck converters are commonly used in CubeSats to regulate voltage, but their fast switching behavior can create electromagnetic interference (EMI) inside tightly packed structures. This work looks at how radiated noise from a buck-converter-like source spreads inside a simplified 1U CubeSat and which regions are most affected. A computational electromagnetics approach was used in ANSYS HFSS, where the converter was modeled as a loop on an FR4 board. Experimental S-parameter measurements were also taken for open and shielded setups to see how shielding changes coupling. The results show that EMI does not stay localized near the source and is strongly affected by enclosure geometry, nearby conductors, and grounding. This work shows how layout, shielding, and return paths can help reduce EMI in compact spacecraft.