Engineering support
All successful space missions have one indispensable ingredient in common: high-level engineering know-how
The Engineering support area aims to define the feasibility and requirements of each programme and initiative from their initial stages,supported by the Concurrent Design Facility , as well as providing technical support to the high-tech programmes in the implementation and verification phases.
TEC engineers work with programme and project teams from other Directorates and partners from industry and scientific institutes to evaluate a concept's overall feasibility in meeting mission requirements within an acceptable cost, schedule and performance.
In parallel, our engineers assess whether the technology the project requires can be made available on time at a sufficient level of technical maturity. They support dedicated teams covering an array of technical disciplines. They also work to identify, evaluate and accelerate 'enabling technologies' across multiple fields. These are defined as technological developments that bring new varieties of space missions into the realm of possibility.
Positive evaluation of an idea and its associated technologies is followed by detailed 'Phase-A' studies where preliminary designs are worked out by trading off alternative approaches.
Managing test facilities and coordintating the technical standardisation activities.
This area is also responsible for preparing and managing test facilities – and coordinating the technical standardisation of the sector through two Europe-wide initiatives: the European Cooperation on Space Standardization (ECSS) comprises a family of management, engineering and quality standards, while the European Space Components Coordination (ESCC), specifies the suitability of electrical, electromagnetic and electronic (EEE) components for space.
Our engineering support is arranged in four domains
Follow the links to discover what kind of support each of them can provide to your organisation: