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NASA 3D-printed antenna takes additive manufacturing to new heights

The 3D-printed antenna mounted to a ladder prior to testing at NASA's Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in Palestine, Texas. [Credits: Photo by Peter Moschetti/Courtesy of NASA]

 

 

By Kendall Murphy, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

In fall 2024, NASA developed and tested a 3D-printed antenna to demonstrate a low-cost capability to communicate science data to Earth. The antenna, tested in flight using an atmospheric weather balloon, could open the door for using 3D printing as a cost-effective development solution for the ever-increasing number of science and exploration missions.

Printing
For this technology demonstration, engineers from NASA's Near Space Network and Goddard Space Flight Center's 3D Printing of Electronics group designed and printed an antenna, tested it with the network's relay satellites, and then flew it on a weather balloon -- all in just three months.

The 3D-printing process, also known as additive manufacturing, creates a physical object from a digital model by adding multiple layers of material on top of each other, usually as a liquid, powder, or filament. The bulk of the 3D-printed antenna uses a low-electrical-resistance, tunable, ceramic-filled polymer material.

Using a printer supplied by BotFactory, the team had full control over several of the electromagnetic and mechanical properties that standard 3D-printing processes do not. Once NASA acquired the printer, this technology enabled the team to design and print an antenna for the balloon in a matter of hours. Teams printed the conductive part of the antenna with one of several different conductive ink printers used during the experiment.

For this technology demonstration, the network team designed and built a 3D-printed magneto-electric dipole antenna and flew it on a weather balloon. A dipole antenna is commonly used in radio and telecommunications. The antenna has two "poles," creating a radiation pattern similar to a donut shape.

Testing
The antenna, a collaboration between engineers within NASA's Scientific Balloon Program and the agency's Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program, was created to showcase the capabilities of low-cost design and manufacturing.

Following manufacturing, the antenna was assembled and tested at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, in the center's electromagnetic anechoic chamber.

NASA Goddard's anechoic chamber eliminates echoes and reflections of electromagnetic waves to simulate the relative "quiet" of space. Here, the antenna is installed on the mast of the anechoic chamber. [Credits: Photo by Peter Moschetti/Courtesy of NASA]

 

 

 

 

The anechoic chamber is the quietest room at Goddard -- a shielded space designed and constructed to both resist intrusive electromagnetic waves and suppress their emission to the outside world. This chamber eliminates echoes and reflections of electromagnetic waves to simulate the relative "quiet" of space.

To prepare for testing, NASA intern Alex Moricette installed the antenna onto the mast of the anechoic chamber. The antenna development team used the chamber to test its performance in a space-like environment and ensure it functioned as intended.

Once completed, NASA antenna engineers conducted final field testing at NASA's Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in Palestine, Texas, before liftoff.

VIDEO: NASA developed and tested a 3D-printed antenna to demonstrate a low-cost capability to communicate science data to Earth. [Credit: By Kasey Dillahay/Courtesy of NASA]

The team coordinated links with the Near Space Network's relay fleet to test the 3D-printed antenna's ability to send and receive data.

The team monitored performance by sending signals to and from the 3D-printed antenna and the balloon's planned communications system, a standard satellite antenna. Both antennas were tested at various angles and elevations. By comparing the 3D-printed antenna with the standard antenna, they established a baseline for optimal performance.

In the air
During flight, the weather balloon and hosted 3D-printed antenna were tested for environmental survivability at 100,000 feet and were safely recovered.

For decades, NASA's Scientific Balloon Program, managed by NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, has used balloons to carry science payloads into the atmosphere. Weather balloons carry instruments that measure atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity, wind speed, and direction. The information gathered is transmitted back to a ground station for mission use.

The demonstration revealed the team's anticipated results: By using rapid prototyping and production capabilities of 3D-printing technology, NASA can create high-performance communication antennas tailored to mission specifications faster than ever before.

Implementing these modern technological advancements is vital for NASA, not only to reduce costs for legacy platforms but also to enable future missions.

Published April 2025

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