YPSat : Mechanical Test
“Put simply, mechanical testing is all about making sure that the satellite doesn’t break during its mission.” Aaron Sidhu, Mechanical Engineer for YPsat.
Mechanical testing is indispensable. Satellites, throughout their lifecycle, are subjected to extreme conditions during manufacturing, launch, and operation in space. The point of this testing phase is to make sure that the YPSat is designed in such a way that it can withstand the forces imparted on it by the rocket during launch.
On the day of launch Ariane 6 will ignite its lower stage engines, including two solid rocket boosters and a single cryogenic engine. This Vulcain 2.1 cryogenic engine alone will produce 135 tonnes of thrust – that is about 21 times more thrust than a single Boeing 737 engine, enough thrust to lift around 26 elephants off the ground! Knowing this, and that YPSat will be secured onto the top of this rocket, it is easier to understand how intense is the ascent to space.
“The most difficult part of the mechanical testing phase must have been meticulously assembling and preparing the satellite in way mitigated the risk of single point failures. Since the design is new and novel, anything could happen and probably will happen, so testing and careful preparation is vital for mission success. “ Aaron Sidhu
Therefore, the mechanical tests performed on the YPSat have consisted primarily of vibration testing where the primary in-flight loads to be expected on the satellite were simulated. It provides the young professional team with data necessary to validate its structural integrity.
“(…) during my involvement in YPSAT project, I have gained an appreciation for why analysis and testing are critical for mission success and I can now appreciate why larger ESA satellite missions can take over a decade to launch from concept initiation.” Aaron Sidhu
The testing was concluded successfully, with YPSat demonstrating its capability to withstand the demanding conditions of launch. Following these mechanical qualification tests, each subsystem, including cameras, battery, antenna, and magnetometer, was further tested and continued to perform nominally. This amazing outcome marks the satellite as qualified for flight !