A new nitrogen-based acoustic test facility for satellites has been inaugurated at ISRO's ISITE testing complex in Bangalore, according to a release from National Aerospace Laboratories.
A large number of qualifying tests on satellites can be now done under one roof at ISITE, it said.
NAL was chosen in 2007 to design, build, operate and maintain the new facility, the ninth such in the world. The CSIR lab also hosted ISRO's older test facility at its second campus in Bangalore.
The ISITE Acoustic Test Facility at Kundanahalli is also close to the ISRO Satellite Centre which builds spacecraft.
The ISRO Chairman, Dr K. Radhakrishnan, inaugurated the facility.
The release said satellites are launched at very high velocity.
“The acoustic field created during launch and trans-atmospheric flight can be strong enough to damage the delicate satellite/payloads since economic considerations demand that the satellite and payload structure be as light as possible.
“The acoustic shielding efficiency of heat shields is also tested in this facility.”