Intespace won the tender launched by the CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales) for carrying out a new testing facility. Bestowed with the gentle name of SIMEON (SIMulateur d'Environnement Opérationnel Nacelles), it will reproduce on the ground the conditions that are encountered in flight by nacelles, equipment or the scientific instruments on-board the balloon flights.
Halfway between a climatic chamber and a thermal-vacuum chamber, it is characterised by a pressure comprised between atmospheric pressure and 0.1 hectopascals and by a temperature comprised between -120°C and +80°C. The tests will simultaneously vary all these parameters while homogenising the temperature at high pressure due to the presence at this level of air molecules.
Intespace was selected for its experience in engineering test facilities and its expertise in thermal-vacuum chambers. Nonetheless, innovation was shown in designing a specific temperature brewing device and an adapted thermal generator.
CNES will carry out the first performance and commissioning test on delivery of SIMEON at the end of the third quarter in 2011.
This 2.50 m in diameter chamber with as much in height can simultaneously accommodate 4 medium sized nacelles
The stratosphere is inaccessible to satellites and crossed too quickly by sounding rockets. Balloons or aerostats can permanently evolve in this atmosphere, extending between 12 and 45 km in altitude.
Historically, balloons have been used in atmospheric studies and astronomy. The development of space activities has helped broaden their scope of application. Today numerous balloon flights have a technological purpose. For example, they are used to test instruments designed to be loaded on board satellites.
For 40 years now, CNES have been developing one of the largest balloon activities in the world after the United States.
