Shielding measurements of the Space Shuttle (Endeavour in a changing EMI space)

Testing was conducted on the NASA Space Shuttle Orbiter, Endeavour, to determine the high frequency shielding capability of three major cavities; the flight deck, the mid-deck/crew quarters and the payload bay. Testing was performed using highly modified reverberation techniques. A big advantage of reverberation is that it avoids the inaccuracies that occur during testing using traditional direct radiation methods. These include inaccuracies associated with standing wave patterns, radiation aspect angle, and antenna factor errors. Reverberation is especially useful in measuring leakages from points that are difficult to access, such as leakages from the top of the orbiter. An account of the test method is presented in detail, along with setup diagrams, photos, and graphs of the shielding measurements. Also, the software used to automate the measurements is described. This was essential to maximizing the accuracy and efficiency of the measurements.