LaRa antennas shaker test

Qualification shaker test of two antennas – seen within protective radomes – for the LaRa instrument, headed to Mars on the ExoMars Surface Platform. ESA’s Lander Radioscience experiment, or LaRa for short, is a high-performing transponder, tasked with maintaining an extremely stable direct radio-frequency link between Earth and Mars for a full Martian year – two Earth years – once ExoMars has touched down. This vibration testing simulates the harsh conditions of launch, atmosphere re-entry, descent and Mars landing, and was carried out on the 22kN electrodynamic vibration system of ESA’s Mechanical Systems Laboratory.