Pavel Suchan from the Astronomical Institute informed about it Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. This institution, together with SAB Aerospace and the Czech company 5M, participates in the mission of the European Space Agency (ESA).
–
The 2026 poll starts
According to experts, exoplanets are one of the main topics in contemporary astronomy, and knowledge about their number, physical characteristics and positions in habitable zones is increasing. ESA’s mission is to advance this research, looking for another Earth.
–
“It will provide us with unique information about the situation of our solar system in space, we will probably be able to answer the question of whether our system is one of many or whether it is unique,” said Petr Kabáth, Plato team leader at the Astronomical Institute AS CR and Czech mission coordinator. .
–
The launch of the probe is planned for 2026, the first phase of the project began in 2014.
–
The complete design and development of the service module, which consists of the probe, are in charge of engineers at SAB Aerospace. The service module contains the drive, navigation, control systems, solar panels, batteries and many other components.
–
Vibration testing container.
Photo: SAB Aerospace
All of these systems keep the most important part of the spacecraft alive – 26 cameras that will monitor the stars and monitor the regular decreases in their brightness caused by orbiting exoplanets. The cameras are very sensitive and their optics cannot withstand any dirt. During their travels in Europe, they will therefore be protected by double-skinned containers, which the company will supply 33.
–
The apparatus must last eight years
The two-ton probe must be designed by engineers to survive the launch, a trip into space and an eight-year stay in space, where it will collect and send data to Earth from a distance of 1.5 million kilometers from the Earth’s surface. It must be prepared for extreme temperatures, vibrations and other inhospitable conditions.
–
In order for the probe to fly, it must be strong but at the same time light. The construction of this type is manufactured from carbon fibers by the company 5M from Kunovice.
–
“This project is important to us for two reasons. First, because it is a collaboration between industry and the Academy of Sciences. Secondly, it is a major technological challenge. The container is designed so strictly for the safe transport of cameras that it would be able to transport even a bomb without exploding, ”explained Petr Kapoun, Director of SAB Aerospace.
–
A team from the Astronomical Institute is involved in the production of software that will be used for data processing. Researchers are working on the development of calibration algorithms that will remove possible effects of thermal noise, thus improving the photometric accuracy of measurements. They already have the first simulated camera data available for writing software. Tests with real cameras are planned for next autumn, where space conditions in vacuum chambers will be simulated.
—
