Antenna Development
Corporation
151 South Walnut
Street
Suite B6
Las Cruces, NM 88001
USA
email:
BBlevins@AntDevCo.com
url:
http://www.AntDevCo.com
Bruce Blevins:
President
Antenna Development Corporation (AntDevCo)
specializes in the design, development, manufacture, and test of fully space
qualified low gain antennas. We have supplied numerous antennas for small
satellites.
Antenna Development Corporation, Inc. (AntDevCo) employees
have been designers and manufacturers of low gain spacecraft antennas for more
than 10 years during their work at AntDevCo and previous
employments.
- AntDevCo is a small business spun-off
from the New Mexico State University's Physical Science Laboratory (NMSU/PSL).
We offer the advantages of the low overhead, rapid responses, and custom
services of a small business.
- We have an agreement with NMSU that
allows us to use the spacecraft antenna designs, production, and test processes
developed by NMSU/PSL during their 60 year history in space and near space
operations.
- We bring a significant experience base
and an extensive set of proven designs and processes to the spacecraft low-gain
antenna arena. Antenna Development Corporation, Inc. (AntDevCo) engineers have
significant experience in both the testing and simulations of antennas and
other electromagnetic systems. We offer testing and simulation services with
specialization in low-gain antenna systems.
Environmental and Electromagnetic Test
Facilities:
AntDevCo has a number of test systems used for the
verifying the performance of electromagnetic devices including antennas,
antenna hats, and power splitter/combiners.
We are experienced with and
have conducted a number of tests to NASA and other space agency specifications.
This includes the development of and the conduction of the test procedures from
start all the way through to the formal End Item Data Package.
AntDevCo
test capabilities include:
- Atmospheric Pressure Thermal Test (-65 to
+200 º C) with antenna hats and in-chamber monitoring of antenna
electromagnetic performance.
- Vacuum Chamber Thermal Test (-125 to +120
º C, vacuum to about 10-6 Torr) with antenna hats and in-chamber
monitoring of antenna electromagnetic performance.
- Multipaction Testing AntDevCo has power
testing capabilities to about 40 Watts over the 1000 to 2500 MHz range. This
covers both the entire NASA Space Network and USAF SGLS transmit bands. We have
developed a high speed detection system to capture multipaction events both in
antennas and in other devices such as diplexers.
- Vector Network Analyzers (VNA) - HP 8510C
VNAs with option 10, S-parameter test sets (HP 8514A&B) and an HP 8752 VNA.
All systems are interfaced to computerized data recording system. Multiple test
articles may be simultaneously exposed to test environments through the use of
RF matrix switching units. Impedance measurements are included in the standard
product delivery and are not separately charged.
- Antenna Radiation Pattern Testing -
AntDevCo has access to a nearby anechoic chamber with a 1 to 12 GHz response
and computerized roll-over-azimuth positioning system. The system uses
polarimetry measurements to determine the antenna response to right hand, left
hand, and linear polarizations as well as the axial ratio of the radiation. All
data is recorded by a computer system and analyzed by AntDevCo proprietary
software to generate the radiation patterns, percent coverage calculations, and
two and three dimensional graphical representations of the radiation patterns.
These radiation pattern tests are included in the costs for the antenna systems
ordered and are not separately charged.
- Vibration Test - AntDevCo has access to a
nearby electrodynamic shaker system capable of testing small antennas to levels
commensurate with spacecraft launch environments. Tests can be conducted on
operational electromagnetic systems.
- Mechanical Shock Test - AntDevCo has an
in-house capability to perform mechanical shock tests to simulate the
environments associated with stage separation and other launch vehicle shock
stresses.