HF Antenna Deployment Testing

June 30, 2025

Author: Spencer Titcomb VA7YST

The MARMOTSat team is excited to share a new milestone for our CubeSat project: we have successfully assembled our first prototype for the HF Antenna Deployer and have begun the first rounds of testing! This is a major step forward in the satellite’s mechanical design process. This antenna is central to the satellite’s scientific mission with regards to studying the ionosphere, and it also enables a number of out Amateur radio experiments, such as the DVB-S2 video beacon, and Morse Code telemetry beacon.

Before the arrival of our PCBs, we focused on stress testing the burnwire system to validate the capabilities of the burn wire being used as a fastening agent for this component. After a number of trials using different types of line, we have settled on using a braided 50 lb test line to secure the system.

With the PCBs now delivered and integrated into the prototype, we have shifted our testing focus to deployment timing in atmospheric conditions. These tests are used to simulate the length of time it takes for the antenna arm to be released after powering the burn resistors. So far, the results have been very consistent, with an average deployment time of approximately 12 seconds, which is well within our target range for expected operation.

In the future, we intend to continue refining the deployment systems by undergoing a wider range of testing, including testing at varying ranges of temperature, pressure, and levels of power inputs. Keep an eye out for more updates as the system testing process heats up as we move past CDR!