Preparing for Prisma flight operations

The Flight Acceptance Review for the Prisma satellites
concluded at SSC in June. The satellites passed the system acceptance test suite with good results. Important work remains, notably the integration of the CNES radiofrequency based navigation instrument in October, a software upgrade and validation of the Vision Based Sensor from the Danish Technical University. Thereafter, the satellites will be ready for
shipment to the launch site.

Intense activity is currently ongoing in preparation
for the Prisma flight operations. The ground segment infrastructure, including the Mission Control Center in Solna, Operations Control Center in Kiruna and various other components were implemented and tested in early 2009. The Mission Control Center has now been busy establishing and validating flight procedures in a simulator environment connected to RAMSES, the versatile ground operations and test system. The simulation exercises will end with an Operations Readiness Review in November when the complete ground segment will be reviewed and approved for launch.

The launch has been postponed to early February
2010 due to schedule problems with the co-passenger
satellite PICARD. In August, a team from SSC visited the launch site Yasny in southern Russia, and concluded that the integration facilities are brand new and fit for the upcoming campaign.
 
Prisma will demonstrate new technologies for formation flying and close interaction between space
vehicles. Such technologies will be useful in future
scientific missions requiring many small spacecraft
that can interact and form powerful antennas and
telescopes.

SSC is the prime contractor for Prisma and has
developed the major part of the technologies and
software onboard. Germany, Denmark and France
also deliver technologies to the project which is financed by the Swedish National Space Board and
supported by the space agencies of France and
Germany.
 
Prisma simulations exercises with RAMSES, SSC's rocket and multisatellite mission control system software.