The INTEGRAL satellite is an ESA gamma ray astrophysics laboratory providing unprecedented imaging capability for unambiguous identification of gamma-ray sources and high-energy resolution line spectroscopy. It allows to analyse high energy Galactic and extra-galactic phenomena, in order to understand the formation of elements, black holes and other exotic objects. The project has been made possible with the participation of all member states of ESA plus United States, Russia, Czech Republic, and Poland. INTEGRAL has been successfully launched from Baikonur on October 17 17th th 2002 with a Proton rocket. Alenia Spazio-^sItaly was the industrial prime contractor, responsible for the design, integration, verification and testing of the satellite. INTEGRAL exploited to a maximum extent the XMM design in order to reduce qualification costs and improve reliability, profiting at the same time of a modular concept calling for parallel and quite independent testing campaign for service and payload modules. The INTEGRAL verification approach resulted in a full testing program on a Structural Thermal Model for thermal and mechanical aspects, an Engineering Qualification Model for electrical, functional, and mission simulation aspects, and a Proto-flight Model, for the complete acceptance test program. The paper describes project details and peculiarities, focusing on the lessons learned from the applied verification campaign. Furthermore Integral flight performances and test results are put in correlation with predictions utilising MATED methodologies.
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