Flight Model 2 vibration test fully successful!

On 2016 March 3, we brought the second flight model of MinXSS over to Cascade Tek in Longmont, CO to perform vibration testing. We did sine wave sweeps (took about 10 seconds in each of the 3 axes) and random vibration up to 16 grms (which took about 60 seconds in each of the 3 axes). Between each shake, we measured the battery voltage to make sure it didn’t change and inspected as much of the CubeSat as we could see (it was in a closed Tyvak TestPod, similar to the real deployer used in flight). When we got back to LASP, we took MinXSS out and checked for dings, scratches, loose bolts, and to make sure the whole thing hadn’t crumbled to dust. It was perfectly fine! We ran a comprehensive performance test on the system and saw no differences from the same test performed before vibration test.

With one huge milestone in testing complete for the second flight model, we’re now looking forward to thermal vacuum testing at LASP in June.