Status of the PLATO mission cameras: final TVAC results and performance summary for the flight models

Le résumé fourni par la source

PLATO (PLAnetary Transits and Oscillations of stars) is ESA’s M3 medium-class mission dedicated to the discovery and study of extrasolar planetary systems by means of planetary transit detection. The PLATO payload includes 26 Flight Cameras, consisting of 24 Flight Normal Cameras (N-CAMs) and 2 Flight Fast Cameras (FCAMs), which are integrated and vibration tested at CSL before being subjected to thermal-vacuum (TVAC) testing for thermal acceptance and performance verification at three Test Houses (SRON, IAS and INTA). The 24 N-CAMs were integrated, tested and delivered to the Prime between April 2023 and December 2024, followed in 2025 by the 2 F-CAMs and 3 Flight Spares. All 26 Flight Cameras were delivered and found conformant to the applicable acceptance and performance verification requirements, and the Camera-level programme was closed out in March 2026. This paper presents the serial testing approach adopted for the Camera programme, the key performance results obtained across the Flight Cameras, and the associated challenges and lessons learned.

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