Reproducing the environment of the upper atmosphere allows satellite integrators and subsystem manufacturers to test their space hardware ahead of launch, in real-time or accelerated manner. At system level, ThrustMe’s LTA100 can be used to study the charging of the satellite and anticipate any issues that may arise during flight. At subsystem level, reproducing the ionosphere on ground can provide antenna manufacturers the opportunity to study the signal propagation of their antennas at different altitudes, or at various levels of solar activity. The impact of atomic oxygen, notoriously aggressive towards spacecraft surfaces, can as well be assessed.
The various hazards posed by the space environment are often challenging to model, and impossible to accurately replicate on the ground. At the same time, issues arising once in space can prove costly and time consuming for a satellite development program. For customers designing satellites and constellations, the LTA100 allows reliable de-risking of critical hardware, at a fraction of the cost of any competing method.