UK Research & Innovation: Sentinel-5 successfully completed thermal testing in the space test facility in Oxfordshire

Sentinel 5 test model in the thermal vacuum chamber at STFC’s RAL Space
(Credit: Airbus DS)

SWINDON, 09-Aug-2018 — /EuropaWire/ — A model of future European space mission Sentinel-5 has successfully completed thermal testing in our world-class space test facility in Oxfordshire. This is an essential step that will allow the Earth Observation project to progress to the next stages of testing in preparation for the instrument to eventually go into orbit in space.

The model is built to test the mechanical and thermal design under the same conditions the instrument will encounter in orbit. STFC’s RAL Space provided the test services to Airbus Defence and Space for this very important stage of instrument development at our thermal vacuum chamber facility.

Sentinel-5 is dedicated to monitoring air pollution in order to study our planet’s climate and atmosphere in greater detail than ever before. Once in orbit it will work alongside other instruments on board to collect data that will ultimately help improve weather forecasts and to better understand our changing climate.

STFC has been involved in many of the Sentinel missions, from providing necessary calibration of instruments to providing the huge computer data storage needed for such projects through our supercomputer and data store, JASMIN.

SOURCE: Science and Technology Facilities Council

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