No, this is not a session of spiritualism. 'Black magic' is a shorthand for radio engineers to describe the propagation of communications through the air. The phenomenon received this name due to the complex physical processes underlying the transmission of radio signals. In outer space, such forces become even more difficult to understand.
Until recently, the form of choice for transmitting this 'magic' was the parabolic antenna. The larger the dish antenna, the better it will 'catch' or transmit signals over long distances.
But the miniature satellites called CubeSat changed everything. These spacecraft are designed to be lightweight, cheap, and extremely oversized (most are no larger than a box of cornflakes) for transmitting data. However, this required quite a lot of effort from the antenna makers – they had to pack the 'black magic' into a device with no room for a radio saucer, not to mention much more.
“It's like taking a rabbit out of a hat,” said Nasser Chahat, an antenna designer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “Downsizing the radar is a key issue for NASA. Nevertheless, the challenge is accepted! '
Sources: Phys
