Skybox Imaging Completes Significant Testing Milestone Preceding its First Satellite and Product Launch

Skybox Imaging (has successfully completed the simulated space environmental test of its first high-resolution imaging microsatellite. During the 16-day test campaign conducted at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., the satellite was placed in a thermal vacuum chamber that accurately simulated the thermal and environmental conditions of low Earth orbit. Skybox evaluated the spacecraft's performance in a variety of operational modes.

This included a "day-in-the-life" test where the Skybox operations team simulated flying the spacecraft for 20 orbits. The test data collected was used to accurately correlate the detailed spacecraft thermal and power models and verify that all subsystems performed as expected.

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Skybox_Imaging_Completes_Significant_Testing_Milestone_Preceding_its_First_Satellite_and_Product_Launch_999.html