We are pleased to announce that Engineers (Fernando Álvarez, José M. Castro and Alvaro Mazuecos) (see Fig. 1) in the STESSy group have welcomed the Spacecraft Interface Simulator (SiS) installed and operational at our facilities.
Fig.1: Fernando Álvarez, José M. Castro, SiS#2 and Álvaro Mazuecos (from left to right)
This high-fidelity integrated equipment, built by Rovsing A/S, represents a vital technological asset for the ongoing development of the VenSpec instrument suite aboard ESA’s upcoming EnVision mission to Venus.
The SiS#2 consists of a specialized combination of electronic racks and an integrated computer system designed to fully replicate the data and power interfaces of the actual spacecraft. By acting as a functional “spacecraft twin” directly at our development site, the simulator enables the team to test local hardware as if it were already integrated into the final flight platform, allowing for critical early debugging long before the actual integration phase.
Within the framework of the VenSpec instrument suite, our engineering team is utilizing this advanced simulator to reproduce the precise behavior of the local Power Supply Unit (PSU) and its DC/DC power converters. The SiS enables the exact emulation of power management, transients, and telemetry communications with the central Power Conditioning and Distribution Unit (PCDU) of the satellite.
With the arrival and deployment of SiS#2, the IAA steps forward into the environmental verification and interface compliance phases, ensuring that our power electronics meet the strict European Space Agency (ESA) standards.
This milestone reinforces the strategic collaboration within the VenSpec international consortium, bridging leading research institutes—such as the DLR Institute of Space Research, the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS), the Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB), and the French Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS)—with key national industrial partners, including Alter and SENER Aeroespacial, who play a key role in bringing this advanced space technology to reality.
Further information can be found at
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/anne-pacros-3771b61_envision-activity-7470830402472148993-d13w