Development of a radiated emissions test setup for CubeSats

Abstract

The increasing reliance on CubeSats for both commercial and research applications neces sitates rigorous Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) testing to ensure mission success and regulatory compliance. Despite their cost-effectiveness, CubeSats missions can be very expensive due to the launch costs. Their susceptibility to Electromagnetic Inter ference (EMI) can compromise functionality and operational reliability causing mission failure. This research presents a cost-efficient approach to EMC pre-compliance testing tailored to CubeSats, addressing the limitations of existing full-compliance facilities. The study explores the feasibility of using inexpensive self built Transverse-Electromagnetic (Mode) (TEM) cells, to characterize EMI emissions within CubeSat systems and subsys tems. A combination of computational simulations and empirical testing is employed to identify key design parameters influencing the TEM cell performance. Additionally, the impact of component placement and shielding techniques on interference mitigation is examined. Experimental results validate the accuracy and range of the proposed methodology in de tecting and mitigating EMC anomalies before launch, thereby reducing the risk of mission failure due to interference-related issues. The findings contribute to the standardization of affordable pre-compliance EMC testing protocols, enabling broader access to space technology for emerging players in the industry. Furthermore, recommendations are pro vided for integrating EMC considerations early in the CubeSat design process, ensuring improved reliability and performance.