ESA Science & Technology - Gaia Flight Model spacecraft being prepared for acoustic testing

The Gaia Flight Model spacecraft being prepared for acoustic testing. Gaia was placed in the acoustic test chamber at the premises of Intespace in Toulouse, France, and subjected to a simulation of the acoustic environment it will experience during launch. The extreme acoustic levels during launch are due mainly to the noise of the launcher's engines, with a smaller contribution from the airflow over the fairing during the climb through Earth's atmosphere at supersonic speeds.