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Advances in Aircraft and Spacecraft Science Volume 7, Number 3, May 2020 , pages 251-269 DOI: https://doi.org/10.12989/aas.2020.7.3.251 |
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Mechanical verification logic and first test results for the Euclid spacecraft |
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Adriano Calvi, Patrizia Bastia, Manuel Perez Suarez, Philipp Neumann and Albert Carbonell
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| Abstract | ||
| Euclid is an optical/near-infrared survey mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) to investigate the nature of dark energy, dark matter and gravity by observing the geometry of the Universe and the formation of structures over cosmological timescales. The Euclid spacecraft mechanical architecture comprises the Payload Module (PLM) and the Service Module (SVM) connected by an interface structure designed to maximize thermal and mechanical decoupling. This paper shortly illustrates the mechanical system of the spacecraft and the mechanical verification philosophy which is based on the Structural and Thermal Model (STM), built at flight standard for structure and thermal qualification and the Proto Flight Model (PFM), used to complete the qualification programme. It will be submitted to a proto-flight test approach and it will be suitable for launch and flight operations. Within the overall verification approach crucial mechanical tests have been successfully performed (2018) on the SVM platform and on the sunshield (SSH) subsystem: the SVM platform static test, the SSH structure modal survey test and the SSH sine vibration qualification test. The paper reports the objectives and the main results of these tests. | ||
| Key Words | ||
| Euclid mission; spacecraft; mechanical verification; mechanical testing; vibration; modal survey test | ||
| Address | ||
| Adriano Calvi: European Space Agency/ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, 2200 AG Noordwijk, The Netherlands Patrizia Bastia: Thales Alenia Space Italy, Strada Antica di Collegno 253, 10146 Torino, Italy Manuel Perez Suarez: Airbus Defence and Space, Avenida de Aragón 404, 28022 Madrid, Spain Philipp Neumann: SpaceTech GmbH, Seelbachstr. 13, D-88090 Immenstaad, Germany Albert Carbonell: RUAG Schweiz AG, Schaffhauserstrasse 580, 8052 Zürich, Switzerland | ||
