Estimating voltage breakdown performance of high-altitude antennas

The useful power-handling, capacity of airborne antennas is limited by air breakdown. As aircraft and missiles operate at increasingly higher altitudes, design for breakdown becomes more important. While testing at simulated altitudes is indispensable, data are already available which may be used to predict antenna breakdown performance. The combined results of several experimenters form a consistent picture of air breakdown in the range of altitudes for which breakdown power is least. The altitude for minimum breakdown power can be predicted from the operating frequency, and breakdown power for practical antenna configurations may be estimated. Comparisons of predicted and measured breakdown performance are shown, which indicate that useful estimates can be made.