Participation industrielle au projet ESA «Cheops» de l’université de Berne

Call for Industrial Interest CHEOPS is a joint ESA-Switzerland mission that has been selected as the first ESA S-class mission. It is the first scientific satellite in which Switzerland assumes responsibilities at mission level representing therefore a unique opportunity to showcase Swiss scientific and industrial competences. CHEOPS is a small 200 kg satellite with a 30 cm telescope as the only payload and will be launched in a Sun-synchronous Low Earth Orbit. Its scientific goal is to perform ultrahigh precision photometry on bright stars to measure transits of exoplanets. The mission is jointly lead by ESA and the University of Bern (UBE), and consists of a consortium of 7 countries. ESA is responsible for providing the platform and launch services, and the consortium for the instrument, mission operations, science operations and the data centre. The instrument will be assembled and calibrated at UBE while the instrument and the platform will be integrated and tested by RUAG Space. The following list of tasks are currently foreseen to be performed in Switzerland:

• Engineering activities FE­‐modelling for structural verification of the instrument design. As far as possible, Nastran should be used.
• Thermal modelling to validate the instrument design. The use of ESARAD/ESATAN software is highly recommended.
• Optical engineering and layout of the verification/calibration setup. Instrument-­‐related design and manufacturing activities.
• Design support, manufacturing, and verification of CFRP structures. Experience with near-zero CTE laminates, as well as with low-outgassing materials is advantageous.
• Manufacturing of high precision lightweight metal components.
• Design and manufacturing of the transport container. Infrastructure-related design and manufacturing/supply activities
• Design support, manufacturing, and verification of a large vacuum vessel with thermal control shroud(s).
• Design, manufacturing, and commissioning of the thermal control system for the above mentioned vacuum vessel.
• Consultancy and supply of clean room equipment.

Industries that are interested in contributing with their expertise in these areas to the CHEOPS project are encouraged to contact the CHEOPS Project Office at UBE at the following email address: <link mirjam.kaufmann@space.unibe.ch>mirjam.kaufmann@space.unibe.ch</link> as soon as possible.