Preparing Smile for electromagnetic compatibility tests
The gold-cloaked Smile spacecraft in the Maxwell Test Chamber at Europe’s largest satellite test facility, ESTEC as part of its ‘space environment testing’ phase.
The Maxwell chamber’s 9 m-high walls, lined with foam spikes, absorb signals and sound, mimicking the void of space. Once its main door is sealed, Maxwell’s metal walls form a ‘Faraday Cage’, screening out all external electromagnetic signals.
In this image, we see engineers from ESA, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and European Test Services preparing Smile for electromagnetic compatibility testing.
Like most spacecraft, Smile is very sensitive. It is designed to pick up very weak magnetic field signals, whilst transmitting a lot of data down to Earth with high-power antennas. Engineers use electromagnetic compatibility tests to check that the spacecraft works well when all its electronics are switched on, making sure that there is no ‘crosstalk’ between them.
Another important part of the electromagnetic compatibility tests is to make sure that Smile is safe to launch inside the Vega-C rocket that will take it to space. The rocket and its associated ground systems also carry lots of electronics; we need to be sure that they are not disturbed by Smile, and vice versa.
During the space environment testing phase, engineers are taking Smile through tough checks, needing it to pass with flying colours before being allowed out on its own. Other tests include making sure that the entire system can operate properly in the vacuum of space, that its solar arrays will unfold correctly after launch, and that the violent launch won’t shake the spacecraft apart.
Smile (the Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer) is a collaboration between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
[Image description: A spacecraft inside an anechoic chamber, which is used for testing purposes. The spacecraft is covered in gold-coloured thermal insulation and has several solar panels on its top section. There are three people in white lab coats and hairnets standing around the spacecraft, likely engineers or technicians conducting tests or inspections. The chamber walls are lined with blue pyramid-shaped foam to absorb sound waves and electromagnetic radiation, ensuring accurate testing conditions. The date ‘24 03 2025’ is visible in the bottom right corner of the image.]
