Integration and test flow for spacecraft payloads
Before launch, payloads undergo a rigorous series of checks and tests to ensure they survive launch loads and will operate in space. Integration workflows connect the payload with the spacecraft bus and launch vehicle.
Typical steps:
- Functional tests of instruments and subsystems.
- Environmental testing: vibration, acoustic, thermal vacuum.
- Mechanical and electrical integration with the spacecraft and adapter.
- System-level rehearsals and mission simulations.
Quality and configuration control
- Traceable documentation and configuration management ensure readiness.
- Redundancy and failure-mode analyses guide acceptance criteria.
This careful process reduces the likelihood of launch failures and ensures the payload performs as expected on orbit.