INTEGRAL thermal vacuum tests - 8 April 2002
8 April 2002
The INTEGRAL team is getting ready to load the spacecraft into the Large Space Simulator (LSS) in ESTEC's test centre. Once inside the LSS chamber, the spacecraft will be subjected to 3 weeks of intensive testing, simulating space environment: the vacuum and cold conditions of space, associated to the exposure to the Sun.
The INTEGRAL team is getting ready to load the spacecraft into the Large Space Simulator (LSS) in ESTEC's test centre. Once inside the LSS chamber, the spacecraft will be subjected to 3 weeks of intensive testing, simulating space environment: the vacuum and cold conditions of space, associated to the exposure to the Sun. |
The loading of the spacecraft into LSS is quite a delicate operation because the nearly 4 tonne INTEGRAL spacecraft is tilted and lifted horizontally using heavy fixtures. Once inside, it will take about 1 week for the team to connect the spacecraft to the monitoring and control equipment and to perform a final health check prior to closing the chamber. |
