An in-depth look at the radio frequency ground support equipment for the radiation belt storm probes mission

The Radiation Belt Storm Probes, twin spacecraft that will study the Earth's radiation belts, will be launched in 2012. The two satellites are being designed and built for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration by The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Before launch, the spacecraft will undergo significant ground testing, much of which will be automated. This paper describes the design, fabrication, and use of the ground support equipment used to test the radio frequency communications subsystem. It discusses issues that arose during design and testing, describes how they were resolved, and presents recommendations for future test programs on the basis of lessons learned.