LIDAX is proud to inform about latest achievements regarding the Mirror Assemblies developed in the framework of Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) Telescope Optics, in close cooperation with Thales SESO (now part of Thales Group).
LIDAX AIT Team has successfully completed the First Environmental Test Campaign (including Vibration & Thermal Vacuum Cycling), validating the structural & thermal loads requirements.
Test Campaign for the STM MTG TO Mirrors Assemblies
The Telescope Optics is as subsystem composed by 4 mirrors (M1, M2, M3 & M4) which are mounted on FCI & IRS Instruments on board of MTG series of satellites.
The MTG programme should guarantee access to space-acquired meteorological data until at least the early 2040s.
The Test campaign for the FCI & IRS TO STM model has been successfully completed at different testing facilities located in France and Spain.
These mirrors are one of the most critical optical parts under stringent cleanliness conditions, with full traceability through contamination witnesses during the complete campaign (Storage, Handling, Transportation, Preparation and Testing execution)
LIDAX AIT Engineers have conducted the following tests on the different MTG TO STM mirrors:
- Quasi static (QS) test
- Sine vibration
- Random vibration
- Thermal Vacuum Cycling (TVC)
- Electrical Verifications Checks
- Physical Properties measurements
- Envelope Verification Check
The following pictures show MTG TO IRS M4 STM QS Test Set-up (Left) and MTG TO FCI M2 STM (Right):
LIDAX’s responsibilities along the overall MTG TO project are:
- Opto-Mechanical and Thermal Control Design
- Structural Analyses (Stress, Strength, Stiffness and Thermoelastic Effects)
- Manufacturing of Opto-Mechanical Items (including Alignment and Thermal Hardware)
- Integration and Environmental Testing of Optical Assemblies
- Design and Analysis of MGSE and OGSE (including a Reference Mirror Assembly) required for testing and optical verification
The next campaign for EQM model is planned to start on September 2018.
The first MTG launch date is scheduled to be on late 2021.
New Vacuum Oven for BAKE-OUTs in Cleanroom
A new Vacuum Oven has been commissioned by LIDAX AIT Team and is currently in operation at our Laboratories for Bake outs.
Ensuring proper vacuum Bake-out of flight hardware is increasingly important to accelerate the process of outgassing in order to remove volatile compounds and decrease the molecular and particle contamination to a required level.
This new LIDAX facility is available in our ISO 5/7 Cleanroom at the disposal of our customers.
