St12 RF Solutions, the US entity of the manufacturer of advanced satellite products, payloads and Radio Frequency (RF) systems SWISSto12, has developed, qualified and delivered three fully-integrated RF Antenna Feed Chains in various bands for a Northrop Grumman commercial GEOStar-3 satellite program. SWISSto12 completed the qualification program in January 2024, delivering the three integrated feed chains to Northrop Grumman for payload integration.
The space-qualification and shipment of SWISSto12’s RF Antenna Feed Chains to Northrop Grumman represents a significant milestone in the availability of next-generation RF payload solutions. SWISSto12’s RF Feed Chains are designed as fully-integrated monolithic assemblies; including diplexers, filters, polarizers, horn apertures and mechanical interfaces 3D printed as a single-piece assembly. SWISSto12’s proprietary Radio Frequency Additive Manufacturing (RFAM) processes allow for design optimization to minimize size and weight, while successfully meeting the stringent RF performance and qualification requirements established for this Northrop Grumman’s commercial GEOStar-3 program.
SWISSto12 has pioneered the development of advanced Additive Manufacturing technology for RF applications since 2011, creating strong momentum in the aerospace industry. Previously, RF product designs were constrained by manufacturing limitations impacting performance, weight, size, and cost competitiveness. SWISSto12’s RFAM technology enables the production of highly complex, intricate and non-conventional product designs which were previously not achievable. Through optimized manufacturing tolerances, surface finishes, plating techniques, and RF designs, SWISSto12 can deliver advanced RF performance, size, and weight savings while maintaining product competitiveness.
Scott Wolf, Managing Director of St12 RF Solutions, the US entity of SWISSto12, said, “SWISSto12 is delighted to announce this first delivery to Northrop Grumman of cutting-edge Radio Frequency Antenna Feed Chains for one of its commercial GEOStar-3 programs. Our novel Radio Frequency Additive Manufacturing capabilities coupled with advanced monolithic designs enabled by 3D printing have created a new benchmark in Antenna Feed Chain size, weight and performance. Our Radio Frequency Additive Manufacturing and HummingSat geostationary SmallSat businesses have delivered over $200 million in customer orders to date, validating our mission to push the limits of existing payload capabilities to better protect and connect every corner of the world.”