Mission Design for the CubeSat OUFTI-1

CHAPTER11TESTSThe launch and space environment are extremely hard for the spacecraft: it isin fact subject to vibrations at different frequencies, vacuum and frequent thermalcycling. Given that, once in orbit, there is not any way to repair a damageon the satellite, we need to verify that all the components and the integratedsystem can survive to the external environment: the block of all these actionsconstitutes the test campaign. The tests usually performed on a satellite beforelaunch include mechanical test as vibrations and shocks, environmental tests asthermal vacuum and functional test as the electromagnetic compatibility. Thetests level and duration depends, on the one hand, on the test philosophy and,on the other hand, on the launcher specifications and on the space environmentexpected. We can then demonstrate some spacecraft function by testing somegroup on components: it is called verification test and typically includes theantennas and solar arrays deployment test.105