The 3D printing process, also known as additive manufacturing, creates a physical object from a digital model by adding multiple layers of material on top of each other, usually as a liquid, powder, or filament. The bulk of the 3D-printed antenna uses a low electrical resistance, tunable, ceramic-filled polymer material.
Using a printer supplied by Fortify, the team had full control over several of the electromagnetic and mechanical properties that standard 3D printing processes do not. Once NASA acquired the printer, this technology enabled the team to design and print an antenna for the balloon in a matter of hours. Teams printed the conductive part of the antenna with one of several different conductive ink printers used during the experiment.
For this technology demonstration, the network team designed and built a 3D-printed magneto-electric dipole antenna and flew it on a weather balloon. [JF1] A dipole antenna is commonly used in radio and telecommunications. The antenna has two "poles," creating a radiation pattern similar to a donut shape.
Following manufacturing, the antenna was assembled and tested at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, in the center's electromagnetic anechoic chamber.
The anechoic chamber is the quietest room at Goddard - a shielded space designed and constructed to both resist intrusive electromagnetic waves and suppress their emission to the outside world. This chamber eliminates echoes and reflections of electromagnetic waves to simulate the relative "quiet" of space.
To prepare for testing, NASA intern Alex Moricette installed the antenna onto the mast of the anechoic chamber. The antenna development team used the chamber to test its performance in a space-like environment and ensure it functioned as intended.
Once completed, NASA antenna engineers conducted final field testing at NASA's Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in Palestine, Texas, before liftoff.
The team coordinated links with the Near Space Network's relay fleet to test the 3D-printed antenna's ability to send and receive data.
The team monitored performance by sending signals to and from the 3D-printed antenna and the balloon's planned communications system, a standard satellite antenna. Both antennas were tested at various angles and elevations. By comparing the 3D-printed antenna with the standard antenna, they established a baseline for optimal performance.
For decades, NASA's Scientific Balloon Program, managed by NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, has used balloons to carry science payloads into the atmosphere. Weather balloons carry instruments that measure atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity, wind speed, and direction. The information gathered is transmitted back to a ground station for mission use.
The demonstration revealed the team's anticipated results: that with rapid prototyping and production capabilities of 3D printing technology, NASA can create high-performance communication antennas tailored to mission specifications faster than ever before.
Implementing these modern technological advancements is vital for NASA, not only to reduce costs for legacy platforms but also to enable future missions.
Related Links
NASA's Near Space Network
Space Technology News - Applications and Research
| Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters |
| Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters |
