Satellites’ Assembly, Integration and Test (AIT)

Satellites contain extremely costly electronic equipment (sometimes in excess of1 million euros) with lengthy manufacturing times. Integrating these sub-systems on the satellite platform requires精度andpreparation. By relying onmulti-disciplinary teams of engineers(space systems architecture, electricity/electronics, real-time systems, radio frequency, optical engineering, mechanical engineering, thermal engineering, etc.), ALTEN’s responsibility is to:

• Prepare the satellite’s integration: define the integration procedures for operators
• Check that sub-systems are operational (power supply, radio communications, onboard management, orbit or altitude control, optical instruments, mechanical structure, etc.)
• Check that the satellite is operational after assembly (environmental trials in space or launch conditions: extreme temperatures, near-vacuum pressure, vibrations and electromagnetic compatibility).

ALTEN’s engineers work in cleanroom (ISO8 & ISO5 classes) as well as on launch sites (Kourou, Baikonur, Jiuquan, etc.), on different types of satellite projects in a variety of fields:research(such as TARANIS, the study of transient luminous events – TLE – and terrestrial gamma-ray flashes),Franco-Chinese cooperation(CFOSAT, the study of wind and waves on the ocean surface) and theconstellation of 600 telecommunications mini-satellites(ONEWEB)。