CIRA strengthens its infrastructure for the qualification testing of space systems

In December 2025, the Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) of the new vibration table of CIRA’s Space Qualification Center was successfully completed at the premises of Dongling Technologies Co., Ltd. in Suzhou, China.

The acceptance test represents a key milestone in the supply and installation at CIRA of a new shaker designed to reproduce the intense vibrational and impulsive mechanical loads acting on space systems during transportation, launch, and on-orbit operations, as well as those arising from the mission itself. Thanks to this facility, it will be possible to extend the test envelope of mechanical qualification tests performed by CIRA’s Space Qualification Laboratory, in terms of both the size and mass of test articles and the levels of mechanical shock and acceleration. Once operational, the shaker will be capable of applying dynamic loads with accelerations exceeding 100 g over the 5–2000 Hz frequency range, with more than 200 kN peak force, to satellites weighing up to 2 tonnes.

With the successful completion of the FAT, the vibration table has demonstrated full compliance with the design and technical requirements, in line with the development plan of the Space Qualification Center and with the objectives of the PRO.R.A. Entry, Descent and Landing (EDL) project, which aims to equip CIRA with experimental capabilities to support the development and qualification testing of advanced systems for missions to other planets, first and foremost Mars.

Following the intensive test campaign, the system is now ready to be shipped by sea to Capua. With full operational capability expected by June 2026, CIRA will enhance its qualification testing capabilities and further strengthen its role as a strategic resource for the Italian and European aerospace industry.