A Cooperative Method Based on Joint Electric and Magnetic Cleanliness for Space Platforms EMC Assessments

A lot of studies for spacecraft design have been carried out in the past to ensure space mission success without compromising the scientific data but electromagnetic issues always puzzle engineers. The mission science objectives rely on the scientific payload high sensitivity to accurately capture the space environment. Electromagnetic cleanliness is a permanent issue in order for the measurements to reflect that and not the spacecraft emissions. The majority of the past and current ESA’s, NASA’s and JAXA’s science missions utilizes more or less the same basic working units, i.e. RF switches, batteries, Command & Data Handling Management units, Power Conditioning and Distribution Units, S-Band Transceivers, etc. These components that can be easily measured and electromagnetically characterized in ground facilities and testing laboratories. This work provides the framework for a complete unit positioning methodology, considering the unit test-level information, in order to predict and properly allocate the spacecraft equipment for simultaneous electric and magnetic cleanliness even in different sensors locations. This methodology can be adapted for a fast pre-compliance testing and possibly early design considerations in every space mission.