Many of the rotary joints available for use in space operate in X-, K- or Ka-Bands. Now, SPINNER has expanded its range of rotary joints for space, primarily for antenna pointing mechanisms, by developing S-Band units.
Based on its proven contactless RF transmission technology, the company has surmounted the challenges involved in designing and producing S-Band rotary joints that are comparable in size to those for higher frequencies, despite the longer wavelength. Thanks to their small dimensions, as well as the use of special aluminum alloys and other materials specifically designed for use in space, each entire rotary joint weighs less than 100 g.
These S-Band rotary joints handle average power to 10 W, with a maximum VSWR of 1.15 and a maximum VSWR variation with rotation of 0.05. Insertion loss is very low—less than 0.25 dB—while the insertion loss variation over rotation does not exceed 0.05 dB. These values are guaranteed across a very wide temperature range from −100°C to +120°C.
Thanks to their small size and excellent transmission properties, SPINNER’s rotary joints enable flexible design of antenna pointing mechanisms, and the frequency range can be adapted as required. This opens up possibilities for direct communication between satellites and base stations and expands the scope for designing satellites.