APPLICATION OF A VIDEOGRAMMETRY SYSTEM BASED ON MICROCAMERASFOR HERSCHEL SPACECRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING

摘要

The Mechanical Systems Department at ESTEC has recently started the production of theoperational hardware of a miniaturised videogrammetry system for metrology applications inthermal-vacuum conditions. The system is based on a set of space qualified micro-cameras,integrating them with the so called ‘multi-station’ concept. The aim is the application of thesystem for measuring the thermo-structural distortions of the Flight Model (FM) of theHerschel spacecraft during the thermal-balance/thermal-vacuum (TB/TV) tests in the ESTECLarge Space Simulator planned in 2006. The results of the prototype qualification at ambientconditions have been presented at the 21st Aerospace Testing Seminar during the last quarterof 2003. This paper will report on the results of the qualification testing of the prototypeperformed in a thermal-vacuum chamber at ESTEC. The design of the operational hardwarewill be described. The latest status of simulations and details of the preparatory activities andof the mechanical implementation requirements for the Herschel spacecraft testing will alsobe presented.