VenSpec-H  –  Venus Spectrometer with High resolution

VenSpec-H is one of three optical spectrometers onboard of EnVision. EnVision is an ESA-led mission in partnership with NASA to investigate Venus from its inner core to its upper atmosphere studying the planet’s history, activity and climate.

Since 2022, the Swiss consortium – consisting of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ), the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU), KOEGL Space GmbH and Space Acoustics GmbH – is responsible for the Swiss participation to VenSpec-H in collaboration with the Instrument Prime, the Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy BIRA-IASB.

KOEGL Space is in charge of the project management, product assurance and procurement management of the Phase B1 activities of the Swiss consortium, which consist of the Filter Wheel Mechanism Breadboard, as well as the mechanical and thermal engineering of the instrument.

• June 2023: Successful Instrument System Requirements Review 

SXI – Soft X-ray Imager

The Soft X-ray Imager SXI is one of four instruments onboard the SMILE spacecraft. SMILE is a joint mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) to study the impact of the solar wind on the Earth’s magnetosphere.

Since 2019, KOEGL Space is the industrial prime contractor for the Swiss participation in the SMILE SXI project, consisting of the thermal subsystem responsibility.

KOEGL Space is in charge of the project management, product assurance and manufacturing activities of the thermal subsystem. Related development and engineering activities are carried out by the Swiss project partners University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland FHNW, the Zurich University of Applied Sciences ZHAW and Space Acoustics GmbH.

• November 2020: Successful shock and vibration qualification testing of the cryogenic SXI Radiator Assembly
• December 2020: Delivery of the SXI Radiator Assembly STM and MLI to University of Leicester
• November 2022: Successful vibration acceptance testing of the cryogenic
  SXI Radiator Assembly Flight Model
• February 2023: Successful delivery of the SXI Radiator Assembly Flight Model and MLI to University of Leicester

STIX – Spectrometer Telescope for Imaging X-rays

STIX is one of the 10 instruments on board of Solar Orbiter, a joined mission between ESA and NASA, which was launched successfully on February 9th 2020 from Cape Canaveral (Florida, USA).

Since 2015, KOEGL Space has supported the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland FHNW in the function as project manager, product assurance and MAIT responsible for the STIX Instrument, which was developed in collaboration with other international partners. The STIX instrument was successfully tested and delivered to ESA in 2017. In 2018 the STIX Ground Unit was assembled under the lead of KOEGL Space.

• February 2020: Successful launch of Solar Orbiter from Cape Canaveral
• April 2020: Start of STIX in-orbit commissioning
• to date: STIX has observed over 30’000 solar flares

Process development for X-ray grids

Since 2018, KOEGL Space is collaborating with University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland FHNW for the development of a novel process for semi-automated manufacturing of X-ray and Gamma ray grids. This activity has been supported by Innosuisse, the Swiss Innovation Agency.

• June 2019: X-ray tests of prototype grids at Paul Scherrer Institute
• February 2020: Presentation “A novel semi-automated manufacturing process for X-ray and Gamma ray imaging grids” at 3AF Aerospace Europe Conference 2020 in Bordeaux (F).