Duration: 36 months
Space communications demand more power, bandwidth, and channels with each passing satellite generation. This complicates communication equipment design, as high-power RF breakdown effects may present themselves if the equipment is not designed correctly, hindering or even cutting off communications completely. Such effects must be prevented at all costs before the launch of a satellite, as repairs cannot be performed once it is in orbit, and the cost of communication equipment failure is very high [1].
The multipactor effect, a non-destructive resonant RF breakdown, is a well-documented phenomenon that significantly increases RF noise and temperature in its vicinity [2]. Factors affecting the multipactor discharge include the signal frequency, analog or digital modulation [3], the device's geometry, the surface material's secondary emission properties [4], dielectric material properties [5], and static or alternating electric or magnetic fields [6].
Several well-proved detection methods are used to identify its presence in space components [1]. However, the literature lacks a method to experimentally and precisely determine the region (critical gap) where this occurs using RF amplitude and phase information. This research, therefore, aims to provide a novel approach to fill this gap by developing and applying innovative methods for experimental multipactor discharge localization.
