Flight model of the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter
Date: 04 March 2015
Satellite: ExoMars 2016
Depicts: Trace Gas Orbiter
Copyright: ESA–S. Corvaja, 2015
The flight model of the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, pictured in March 2015 while it was in the Compact Antenna Test Range (CATR) at the Cannes (France) facility of Thales Alenia Space. The picture was taken after the finalisation of radiated emission tests. These tests are part of the electromagnetic compatibility test campaign, which is designed to demonstrate that all the spacecraft's systems will operate without interfering with one another, and that they are sufficiently immune from external electromagnetic radiation.
The prominent dish covered with yellow protective plastic foil is the high-gain antenna, which will be used to send science data to Earth. At the centre of the dish, the feed horn that carries signals to and from the internal radiofrequency systems is visible. The grey disc at the centre of the antenna is the secondary reflector, which passes the signals from the feed horn to the primary reflector. The black finned devices (seen at the extreme right (front) and extreme left (back) of the spacecraft) are the low-gain antennas, which are used to communicate with Earth when the high-gain antenna has to be pointed elsewhere during science operations. The nozzle of the main engine can be seen protruding from the base of the spacecraft.
