Protective tile for Schiaparelli
Date: 08 February 2016
Satellite: Schiaparelli
Location: Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Copyright: Thales Alenia Space
Technicians from Airbus Defence and Space (Aquitaine) pictured preparing a piece of thermal ablative tile to be glued onto the protective cover of Schiaparelli, the ExoMars 2016 entry, descent and landing demonstrator module.
The thermal protection system for Schiaparelli is made from Norcoat Liège, a thermal ablative material composed of resin and cork.
Extra safety precautions have to be taken while working on Schiaparelli as it now contains hazardous fuel. The technicians are wearing special protective suits rather than the cleanroom gear that had been required prior to the fuelling.
Last Update: 1 September 2019
