NSI-MI, an advanced RF measurement solutions provider for aerospace, defense, satellite, and wireless applications, has finalized the installation of the RAL Space EMC and Antenna Test Facility, marking a significant milestone for the UK’s space industry. The RAL Space EMC and Antenna Test Facility consists of a shielded anechoic chamber that is 18 m x 18 m x 14 m and is lined with pyramid foam tiles that absorb radiation. RAL Space assesses the performance of antennas used for communications between the satellite and ground stations, and probes measure radio frequencies from 500 MHz to 75 GHz in different configurations. There is a second shielded room next to the chamber for customers’ electrical ground support equipment.
The National Satellite Test Facility (NSTF), operated by RAL Space, is the UK’s first large-scale satellite test facility, which can ensure the testing of spacecraft up to seven tons, stimulating rigorous launch and space conditions. Satellites can be made to undergo vibration testing to simulate rocket launches and thermal exposure in the UK’s largest space test chamber to assess their resilience in orbit.
The UK Space Agency signed a contract to use the NSTF for testing the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Ariel payload, which will study the atmosphere of 1,000 exoplanets. RAL Space leads the international payload consortium, with mission science spearheaded by University College London.
Beyond deep-space exploration, the NSTF supports critical Earth-focused missions. It has secured contracts for ESA’s FLEX Earth observation satellite on behalf of Thales Alenia Space and SKYNET 6A, the UK Ministry of Defence’s secure communications satellite developed by Airbus Defense and Space, which will undergo testing later this year.
Established in 2015 following a UK Space Agency-led Facilities Gap Study, the NSTF received over £100 million in government investment. Located at Oxfordshire’s Harwell Space Cluster, home to 100+ space organizations, it bolsters the UK’s position as a leading satellite manufacturer and advances the National Space Strategy.
For the first time, the UK will have a comprehensive set of large-scale space test facilities all under one roof. This includes a dynamics suite for vibration and acoustic tests replicating rocket launch conditions, a 7 m-diameter space test chamber simulating the vacuum and temperature extremes of space, and state-of-the-art electromagnetic compatibility and an antenna test chamber for secure satellite communications testing.
Image: The large space test chamber inside the NSTF. Credit: STFC RAL Space
With decades of expertise in satellite testing, RAL Space includes a range of vacuum chambers up to 5m in diameter and a smaller-scale vibration facility. The NSTF has extended RAL Space’s capabilities and its team of experts, having already led directly to 30 new jobs in the Oxfordshire area, including several apprenticeship and graduate opportunities.
Andrew Griffith MP, Minister for Space at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, said, “The opening of the new National Satellite Test Facility is a significant milestone for the UK’s growing space sector that will offer the tools necessary to innovate for years to come in a competitive global market. By simulating the tough conditions of launch and orbit through rigorous testing, it will increase the resilience of our satellite technology to drive forward advances in navigation, weather forecasting and more, positioning our sector at the forefront of pioneering new space technologies.”
Dr Paul Bate, CEO of the UK Space Agency, said, “Once a satellite is in orbit, the options are limited if something goes wrong – that’s why having world-class facilities that can simulate the harsh conditions of launching and surviving in space is so important. We’re proud to be using the National Satellite Test Facility for the Ariel payload, and it’s clear that satellite manufacturers across the UK will benefit from the suite of services now available to them, delivered by the expert team at STFC RAL Space”.
Professor Mark Thomson, Executive Chair of STFC, said, “UK satellite manufacturers will now have a state-of-the-art one-stop test facility on their doorstep with the capability to test very large satellites. The NSTF will also enable the UK to support major international efforts in fields including space exploration and Earth observation. Cutting-edge facilities around the globe, such as the NSTF, enable the international community to accelerate the development of next-generation space technologies and large-scale scientific missions. STFC is proud to support this world-leading UK facility that will provide a major new sovereign space capability, which will contribute to our national goals for space as set out in the National Space Strategy.”
Dr Sarah Beardsley, Director of RAL Space, said, “I’m delighted that the National Satellite Test Facility is open for business. This is a huge achievement not just for RAL Space but for the wider UK space sector. It’s taken a lot of collaborative effort to get to this point, but the exciting part – using this facility to support the delivery of the National Space Strategy and prepare large-scale satellites for their various missions in space – is only just about to begin. I’m very proud that RAL Space’s heritage and expertise in space science, technology development, and testing is recognized in this flagship UK facility.”