Product category:
Antennas and Feeders
News Release from: Sarantel | Subject: GeoHelix M
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 13 October 2004
GPS antenna set for space mission
Surrey Satellite Technology has chosen the GeoHelix M GPS antenna for a new miniature satellite.
Surrey Satellite Technology has chosen the GeoHelix M GPS antenna for a new miniature satellite Sarantel's GeoHelix M antenna will enable the GPS receiver on the orbiting miniature satellite to pick up signals from satellites located over 20,000km away
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 17 Mar 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
GPS antenna shrinks to surface mounting
Sarantel has developed a surface-mount version of its active GeoHelix miniature GPS antenna.
GPS antenna to the fore
US-based SkyHawke Technologies has incorporated the GeoHelix miniature GPS antenna into the latest version of its market-leading SG2 personal digital golf caddie.
The signals will be used to accurately calculate the position over the course of the six-month mission.
The new miniature satellite is called Palmsat and is being built by Surrey Satellite Technology and students at the University of Surrey.
Palmsat is the size of a small soft drink can and is only 1kg in mass.
Further reading
Omnidirectional bonus for miniature GPS antenna
Antenna specialist Sarantel has announced the PowerHelix GPS-P, a miniature GPS antenna which is omnidirectional and therefore tolerant of the orientation of the GPS receiver.
Novel GPS antenna picks up more satellites
The GeoHelix-H is a new-technology high-gain active antenna for portable GPS receivers which enables more satellites to be acquired than conventional patch devices.
Surrey Satellite Technology has launched 23 small satellite missions into low earth orbit over the past 23 years.
Until recently, most of these 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 7.5km/s - have contributed significantly to these economies of scale.
Dr Martin Unwin, Head of GPS at Surry Satellite Technology, says: " Surrey Satellite Technology 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.
When launched, the Surrey Satellite Technology satellite equipped with Sarantel's antenna will orbit the Earth at 700km altitude - just above the atmosphere.
• Sarantel: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Electronicstalk email newsletter
• Electronicstalk Home Page
