Customer Challenge
A university research team set out to design a visibly transparent patch antenna that could be mounted directly over a satellite’s solar panel. The goal was to make better use of limited spacecraft surface area, allowing a single panel to both transmit communications signals and collect solar power at the same time.
However, the team encountered a major barrier during prototyping: they needed a way to bond electrical connections to a printed silver-ink antenna pattern on a transparent substrate without damaging it and while still meeting NASA’s strict low-outgassing requirements.
Traditional approaches failed immediately
- Direct soldering caused the heat to lift or delaminate the silver ink.
- Solder paste created better adhesion but did not meet low-outgassing standards, risking contamination of sensors and optical components in the vacuum of space.
To move the project forward, they needed a bonding solution that was electrically conductive, mechanically strong, low-temperature curing, and met NASA’s low-outgassing standards.
Key Customer Requirements
- Ability to electrically bond copper feedlines to silver ink
- Low-temperature assembly to prevent delamination of silver ink from substrate
- Must meet NASA low-outgassing standards
Solution
MG Chemicals supplied 8330S Electrically Conductive Epoxy, a two-part, silver-filled adhesive formulated for high electrical conductivity and strong bonding across a wide range of substrates.
8330S successfully addressed every failure mode from earlier attempts:
- Cured at a low enough temperature to protect the printed silver ink and transparent substrate
- Provided a durable electrical and mechanical bond between the copper feedline and silver ink
- Met NASA low-outgassing requirements, ensuring other spacecraft equipment would not become contaminated
- Eliminated the risks and material incompatibilities associated with soldering
This allowed the research team to complete their transparent antenna assembly reliably and meet all environmental and performance requirements for potential satellite deployment.
Conclusion
The resulting transparent antenna design enables spacecraft engineers to reclaim valuable exterior surface area, providing dual-function capability without adding mass or increasing complexity.
By integrating MG Chemicals’ 8330S Electrically Conductive Epoxy, the research team achieved a viable, space-ready method of bonding sensitive conductive structures while complying with NASA contamination standards.
This innovation serves as an example of how next-generation materials support next-generation satellite technologies, paving the way for smarter, lighter, and more efficient spacecraft systems.
