SpaceDev Opens Satellite Integration & Test Facility

SpaceDev has completed construction of its new Satellite Assembly and Test (SAT) facility. The completed SAT facility includes 167 square-meters (1,800-square-ft). of Class 100,000 clean room space, and will include laminar flow benches for supporting special Class-100 activities, and enough workspace to support the simultaneous assembly and test of up to eight CHIPSat-class or deep space micro-mission spacecraft, or up to sixteen orbital Maneuvering and Transfer Vehicles. The facility adjoins an electrical assembly and test laboratory. The new multi-function facility is adjacent to the Mission Operations Center at SpaceDev's Poway headquarters, and will support the assembly, manufacturing, integration, test, and checkout of avionics, power, telecom, structure and propulsion components & subsystems; earth-orbiting satellites; and deep space flight systems; and other related activities for ongoing and future commercial and government space programs.

Last year California's Western Commercial Space Center (WCSC) awarded SpaceDev a US$200,000 State Grant, with matching contributions by SpaceDev, to help build-out and equip the new full-up satellite and space vehicle manufacturing facility.

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