Satellite test bench

BepiColombo Engineering Test Bench (ETB) currently based in Airbus Defence and Space's Friedrichshafen facility. A ‘test bench’ allows the overall working of the mission implementation to be simulated with software. When a particular piece of equipment is completed it can be plugged in to this virtual mission platform to be tested. The aluminium mockup at the centre is the Mercury Planetary Orbiter while the units on the table on the left simulate the Mercury Transfer Module. To bottom centre is a water cooling system for the MTM units handling high power - the power control and distributing unit with red handles on the table, and power propulsion units that have yet to be installed. To bottom right can be seen two screens from a connected workstation, to far right is the telemetry and telecommand system and to the left is the attitude and orbit control system.