Lifting Plato out of the Large Space Simulator
This photo captures a moment during the delicate process of moving Plato from the Large Space Simulator (LSS) to a cleanroom at ESA’s Test Centre.
In the LSS chamber, Plato successfully completed a series of tough tests in space-like conditions. Many of the tests were designed to verify that Plato can achieve its main objective: discovering terrestrial planets around Sun-like stars.
When sealed, the pressure inside the LSS is reduced to a billion times lower than air pressure at sea-level. The chamber also reproduces the extreme cold of outer space, while a grid of powerful heating elements on one side mimic the Sun’s heat hitting Plato’s solar panels and sunshield.
[Image description: Photo of a mostly black and boxy spacecraft inside a large, black-walled chamber. The picture is taken looking into the enclosure through a wide circular opening. Lifting straps are attached to the spacecraft and connected to a yellow overhead crane hook, holding the spacecraft suspended in mid-air. Two engineers in white overalls are standing on a raised platform near the spacecraft. Two other engineers are standing on the floor outside the chamber observing the procedure.]
