SPACE SIMULATION OF THE CHINA-BRAZIL EARTH RESOURCES SATELLITE – CBERS

Abstract

Space Simulation Tests are performed in spacecraft in order to verify equipment proper
operation under thermal vacuum conditioning and to verify the correct workmanship in
the assembling of the flight spacecraft as a whole. This paper presents the space simulation
(thermal vacuum test) developed in the China Brazil Earth Resources Satellite, Flight
Model no. 2, that took place at the Integration and Tests Laboratory – LIT, INPE. Measuring
approximately 1.8 x 2.0 x 2.2m, weighting 1,500 kg and carrying three cameras as the
main payload, this spacecraft is scheduled to be launched in China. The spacecraft was
installed in the 3x3m space simulation chamber and the tests run 24 hours a day completing
a total of 350 hours. Using the technique of skin-heaters complemented by the thermal
vacuum chamber thermally conditioned shrouds and cold plates, dedicated heat inputs
and heat sink where applied at the spacecraft surfaces in order to obtain the required high
and low acceptance values of temperature and, subsequently, simulating the operational
conditions for the necessary electronic subsystems functioning tests of the spacecraft.
This test campaign included teams from both China and Brazil, summing a total of 67
people directly involved.