ESA Science & Technology - Journal Archive
Journal archive
Journal archive
#1: CHEOPS spacecraft hardware delivery
1 July 2015This is the first entry in the CHEOPS Journal, a series of articles documenting milestones in the first small (S-class) mission of ESA's Science Programme.
LISA Pathfinder prepares for final exams
18 June 2015The summer is coming and that means students across Europe are sitting their final tests. ESA's LISA Pathfinder, a technology demonstrator that will pave the way for space-based gravitational wave observatories, is no different. It is currently in the test centre at IABG (Industrieanlagen-Betriebsgesellschaft), Ottobrunn, Germany.
#14: BepiColombo's Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter has arrived at ESTEC
27 May 2015The flight model of the BepiColombo Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter has arrived at ESA's European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in The Netherlands. Later this year, it will join the Mercury Planetary Orbiter, the Mercury Transfer Module, and the Magnetospheric Orbiter Sunshield and Interface Structure in the spacecraft stack.
#08: New detectors and microshutters for NIRSpec
25 February 2015The past two months have seen a team of engineers engaged in the intricate activity of replacing key components of the Near InfraRed Spectrograph (NIRSpec) on the James Webb Space Telescope. The instrument is now ready for the next series of extensive environmental tests devised to ensure that JWST's instruments can withstand the stresses and...
#07: Summer 2014 - first combined test of all four instruments
24 February 2015A major milestone was reached for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) in the summer of 2014 when all four instruments, installed on the Integrated Science Instrument Module, completed cryogenic testing at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC).
#13: BepiColombo integration and functional testing completed at Thales Alenia Space in Turin
21 July 2014Integration and functional testing activities for the protoflight models of the BepiColombo Mercury Planetary Orbiter, Mercury Transfer Module, and Magnetospheric Orbiter Sunshield and Interface Structure have now been completed at the Thales Alenia Space facility in Turin, Italy.
#06: NIRSpec dances into place
4 April 2014An important milestone for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) was passed on 25 March with the installation of the Near InfraRed Spectrograph (NIRSpec) on the Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Centre.
#05: NIRSpec prepared for integration in ISIM
5 February 2014The Near InfraRed Spectrograph (NIRSpec) on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is being installed on the Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) at Goddard in preparation for an extensive series of tests with the full instrument complement. In addition, new detectors have been selected for NIRSpec, to be installed later this year.
#04: MIRI keeps cool under low pressure
3 February 2014The Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) on JWST has performed beautifully during its first cryo-vacuum test campaign carried out at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center towards the end of last year. An examination of data recorded during those tests confirms that the instrument is in good health and performing well.
Inertial Sensor Head shaken but not disturbed
12 December 2013The Engineering Qualification Model of the Inertial Sensor Head (ISH) for LISA Pathfinder has passed a significant milestone. The integration of all the components of the ISH with perfect alignment, and the successful completion of qualification tests mark the first time that a heavy test mass inertial sensor has been assembled and successfully...
#03: NIRSpec arrives at NASA Goddard
30 September 2013The Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec), contributed by ESA to the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), has arrived at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
High-speed tests demonstrate space penetrator concept
19 August 2013Tests are being carried out under a technology development programme for planetary penetrators to assess the feasibility of delivering instrument packages to the subsurface of a planet or icy satellite at high speed.
#02: NIRSpec's European adventure
7 August 2013In this second entry of the JWST MIRI and NIRSpec integration and test journal, we catch up with NIRSpec - the Near InfraRed Spectrograph, before it departs Europe for NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC).
#01: MIRI integrated into the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)
8 July 2013This is the first entry of the JWST MIRI and NIRSpec integration and test journal. This series of articles will provide a behind-the-scenes look at how the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI; provided by a European Consortium) and the Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec; provided by ESA), are being prepared for launch and operation in space.
#12: Gaia Flight Model Testing Completed
25 June 2013The final test campaigns for the Gaia Flight Model spacecraft have been completed, paving the way for shipment to the launch site.
Latest LISA Pathfinder hardware delivery is 'Jewel in the Crown'
24 June 2013A team of scientists from the University of Glasgow has successfully delivered a significant milestone for LISA Pathfinder - the flight optical bench. Following formal delivery to Astrium GmbH, on 21 June, the optical bench is ready for integration onto the LISA Technology Package (LTP).
#11: Gaia Flight Model Mass Properties Testing
17 June 2013The Gaia Spacecraft Flight Model has successfully completed its mass properties test campaign.
#10: Gaia Electromagnetic Compatibility Testing
31 May 2013The Gaia Spacecraft Flight Model has successfully completed the electromagnetic compatibility test campaigns at the facilities of Intespace in Toulouse, France.
#09: Gaia Flight Model Payload Data Handling Unit Delivered and Integrated
23 May 2013The Gaia Flight Model Payload Data Handling Unit has been delivered and integrated into the Gaia Service Module. Its arrival allowed extensive end-to-end testing of the spacecraft systems to be performed.
#08: Gaia Flight Model Payload Module thermal testing completed
20 February 2013Thermal testing of the Gaia flight model payload module was completed at Centre Spatial de Liège. The payload module was then returned to Astrium Toulouse for integration with the service module.
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