Mon, 05 Feb 2024 One of our key missions in build is Lunar Pathfinder, and things are coming together in anticipation of a launch towards the end of 2025. Check out the Lunar Pathfinder SANT - see pic above - which is an S-Band Antenna and Antenna Pointing Mechanism (APM).

The Antenna is a 0.86m Parabolic CFRP Reflector fed by a Backfire Helix, capable of transmitting and receiving in S-Band (2.0 – 2.3 GHz) with gain >20dB.

The APM is a novel design which rotates two swashplates to achieve a pointing range up to 25 degrees off-centre. The flight mass of the APM 9.3kg, or 11.3kg with the Antenna installed.

It has been developed in-house at SSTL to communicate with assets on the surface of the moon and in Lunar orbit as part of the primary payload of the Lunar Pathfinder Spacecraft.

Check out link below for full vid of the antenna in a functional test sequence in our lab here in Guildford.

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