Space & Vacuum Rated Semi-Rigid RF Cable Assemblies

Overview
These space and vacuum rated semi‑rigid RF cable assemblies from Amphenol Military & Aerospace’s Times Microwave Systems employ SiO₂ dielectric technology to withstand environments where standard PTFE cables fail. The construction combines an oxygen‑free copper center conductor, a silicon‑dioxide insulating layer, and a copper‑clad stainless‑steel outer jacket forming a fully metallic, hermetically sealed transmission line for extreme conditions.

Key Construction Features

• Dielectric system: Solid silicon‑dioxide (SiO₂) insulation delivers exceptional phase stability and negligible hysteresis across wide temperature swings.
• Outer conductors: Stainless‑steel jacket with copper cladding ensures mechanical strength, corrosion resistance, and stable impedance in high‑temperature and vacuum conditions.
• Connectors: Hermetic fired‑glass seals mated by laser‑welding to the cable jacket maintain gas‑tight integrity for ultra‑high‑vacuum compatibility.
• Shielding: >110 dB EMI shielding performance minimizes electromagnetic interference for flight or laboratory vacuum systems.

Environmental and Functional Range

• Operates from cryogenic temperatures near –271 °C to high‑temperature regimes approaching 650 °C in production configurations.
• Resists radiation doses above 100 MRad suitable for cables routed outside spacecraft buses.
• Maintains 50 Ω low‑VSWR transmission and repeatable phase and loss characteristics under severe thermal cycling.

Available Cable Sizes

• SiO₂‑090 – 0.090 in OD, approximate cutoff frequency 64 GHz.
• SiO₂‑141 – 0.141 in OD, cutoff frequency 36 GHz.
• SiO₂‑200 – 0.200 in OD, low‑loss mid‑size variant.
• SiO₂‑270 – 0.270 in OD, cutoff frequency 18.5 GHz for higher‑power runs.

Applications

• External spacecraft harnessing and satellite payload connections under vacuum and thermal extremes.
• Particle accelerators, beam transport, and cryogenic instrumentation requiring ultra‑high‑vacuum coaxial lines.
• High‑temperature or radiation‑intense aerospace and defense systems such as hypersonic or reentry sensors.

Integration Guidance
The semi‑rigid form requires precise bend geometry specification at build due to the ceramic dielectric’s brittleness. Assemblies can interface with Amphenol Times Microwave multi‑port and self‑locking connector systems as well as D38999 RF contacts for hermetic and mixed‑signal configurations. Custom lengths, port count, and connector combinations are available on request.

Manufacturing
All SiO₂ assemblies are produced at the Times Microwave Systems Mesa, AZ facility under Amphenol Military & Aerospace quality control, providing documented hermeticity and RF performance for mission‑critical environments.