Testing Satellites with Friction-Free 3DOF Spherical Air Bearings
Summary
Multi-axis motion solutions for Aerospace Applications, new from PI AUBURN, Mass., Aug. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The number of active satellites in space keeps growing at an accelerated pace. In July, Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics estimated that there are more than 10,000 active satellites orbiting our planet, already. Commercial and academic institutions developing these satellites continuously work on improved test systems and methodologies to fully validate their hardware before launch. They provide a frictionless environment that allows for the simulation of pitch, roll, and yaw movements, which are essential for assessing how a satellite will orient itself in space. Most of the small satellites will be used in free space optical communication, promising affordable high-speed internet at any place on the planet.