Space-readiness tested on a camera test model
Space-readiness tested on a camera test model
A test model was used to ensure the space-readiness of the PLATO cameras. This 1:1 scale test model was subjected to 17 days of testing in ESA’s thermal vacuum chamber in 2021 to assess its space-readiness. The tests were successful: the camera behaved in response to temperature changes exactly as predicted by the model calculations. This is extremely important, as even the slightest temperature changes of just 0.1° Celsius shift the focal point by one thousandth of a millimetre.
