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SARANTEL GPS ANTENNA TO DEBUT IN SPACE ON SURREY SATELLITE TECHNOLOGY'S NEW MINIATURE SATELLITE
The new miniature satellite is called Palmsat and is being built by SSTL and students at the University of Surrey. Palmsat is the size of a small soft drink can and is only 1kg in mass. SSTL has launched 23 small satellite missions into Low Earth Orbit over the past 23 years. Until recently, most SSTL satellites weighed 50 - 100kg and housed considerably larger antennas. Small satellites offer some particular advantages over larger satellites. They are faster and less expensive to build, thus providing more opportunities to test and demonstrate new technology in orbit for later use on larger satellites. Small satellites also have the ability to carry some small payloads, such as imagers or other sensors and can also be used to rendezvous with, and inspect other satellites. The compact dimensions of the Sarantel antenna and its high performance specifications, achieving accurate GPS readings at a velocity of 7.5kms per second, have contributed significantly to these economies of scale. Dr Martin Unwin, Head of GPS at Surry Satellite Technology Limited, says: "SSTL is committed to achieving affordable access to space. We were aware of Sarantel's unique products and found the GeoHelix M antenna more than met our needs. The antennas are of high quality and have proven easy to integrate into the structure of the miniature satellite." The innovative project was of interest to Sarantel as it provided an opportunity to test the GeoHelix M antenna's ability in the harshest environment. Sarantel chose specific antenna elements for the GeoHelix M antenna to ensure that it was fit for space exploration. The antenna was then put through a series of vibration tests to guarantee its space tolerance. "The results of our testing illustrated how well engineered and diverse our antennas are. Sarantel antennas are already widely used in PDAs and other consumer products. By extending ourselves to be included in satellites, we can clearly demonstrate how adaptable and technologically advanced our antenna really is. Space exploration leaves no room for poor performance and we were delighted to find Sarantel's antenna met the challenge," said David Wither, CEO of Sarantel. Aiming to launch next year, the SSTL satellite equipped with Sarantel's antenna will orbit the Earth at 700km altitude, just above the atmosphere.
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