ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter prior to thermal tests
Date: 31 July 2015
Satellite: ExoMars 2016
Copyright: ESA – B. Bethge
The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) pictured prior to the start of thermal tests in the ESP500 Thermal Vacuum Chamber at the Thales Alenia Space premises in Cannes, France.
These tests measure the thermal performance of the spacecraft module under space conditions. In particular, they verify how the module behaves as the temperature changes in high vacuum (space-like) conditions, and how the module reaches thermal equilibrium.
In this picture of the TGO in the text chamber, two of the four science instruments can be seen: the Atmospheric Chemistry Suite, ACS, (covered in gold-coloured foil) visible on the lower left corner of the TGO, and NOMAD (covered in grey-coloured foil) visible in the top left corner of the orbiter.
Last Update: 1 September 2019
