NEWSLETTER 05
July 2021

Editorial

Summer holidays are approaching and Comat has continued its developments in 3 areas of activity: Exploration, Telecom & Observation, and Smallsats, with the signing of new partnerships with Infinite Orbits and Newspace France Alliance.

A year 2021 which looks good with the obtaining of two recovery plans related to laser welding and deployable structures, the delivery of the IASI-NG flight models, the APS qualification of the 3POD mechanism, the delivery of the flight models of the RW40 and the certification by the French Space Agency of our microgravity, integration and mechanism skills.

Finally, we received Philipe Croizon and his team “Tout est possible” (Anything is possible) for two days; Philippe gave us a good demonstration of his motto.

A big thank you to our employees, customers and partners for their trust. I wish you a wonderful summer; and our whole team looks forward to seeing you in September.

Ludovic DAUDOIS
CEO, Comat

Wheel qualification

The Comat RW40 reaction wheel is now ready for 8 years of operation in space

After an intensive sequence of analysis and tests, the Comat reaction wheel (RW40) is now qualified for all nanosatellites having an orbital life of 8 years (or less). This is a major step for Comat, who has already delivered the first 15 RW40 to an export customer.

The qualification test sequence included sine and random vibrations (15 g rms), shocks, EMC, thermal vacuum cycles, and an equivalent of 8 years’ life tests (including 100,000 zero-crossings) in worst temperature environment.

The first 15 RW40 have also been characterized in micro-vibrations and have demonstrated a very low level, with an excellent stability from model to model. On top of that, Comat can propose an external damper for very accurate earth observation satellites.

All the EEE parts which populated the unique PCB are rad-hard tolerant and can be procured following a lot approach with a preference for automotive components. The PCB has an IPC Class-3 quality level.

The Comat RW40 wheel is now the unique nanosat reaction wheel qualified for 8 years of operation in space, allowing a very safe mission for all potential satellite primes.

By the end of 2021, the RW60 will achieve the same level of qualification, and in 2023, so will the RW80.

Project news

Philippe CROIZON

This very special meeting took place thanks to an exchange of tweets. When we read that Philippe Croizon wanted to go to space, we contacted him to suggest that he come and discover the space environment in Toulouse, and see how, with our background of our experience in microgravity, we could help him to achieve his dream.

It was therefore with great pleasure that we presented the company to him and then accompanied him to the Cadmos to see the operations room. To close his stay we went to visit the Cité de l'Espace, a partner of Comat.

Product news

Deployment test
of the Kineis antenna

This week at Comat premises, the first antenna deployment test for the Kineis constellation, developed with Cobham, went perfectly well.

Recovery plan: Deployable structures and laser welding

Two Comat projects were selected by France Relance*

The first concerns the development of deployable structures

Comat has positioned itself for several years as an independent equipment supplier specializing in space mechanisms. Supported by CNES within the scope of the Recovery Plan, Comat wishes to develop a line of “deployable structures” products based on several developments carried out within the framework of R&T demonstrators or for payloads of operational projects (telescopic mast, deployable mast, multi-panel antenna, mesh reflector, Kineis antenna, etc.).

The second concerns a laser welding process

Comat is developing an assembly technology by laser welding. The laser welding assembly technology allows significantly shorter production cycles using an industrial and repeatable process. One of the applications targeted by this market is the production of waveguides for telecommunications satellites.

*French Recovery Plan

Events

ALLIANCE NEWSPACE France

The Newspace France Alliance was born on May 7, 2021 at the initiative of Stanislas Maximin, founder and director of Venture Orbital Systems. The aim is to bring major innovations to the whole space sector, over the entire satellite value chain, from launch to data processing.

We thank Stanislas for allowing us to be part of this group; this proves our desire to collaborate with start-ups and to be a key player in new markets.

Partnership with Infinite Orbits

Infinite Orbits and Comat sign a collaboration agreement on intelligent proximity navigation solutions.

Infinite Orbits and Comat announce the start of a technological collaboration where the two parties will bring their technical and commercial expertise and know-how to develop innovative solutions in space navigation and thus position them on the international market.

Ludovic Daudois (CEO, Comat) - Adel Haddoud (CEO, Infinite Orbits) - Benoit Moulas (President, Comat)

See press release

READ >

CNES Label

Comat is pleased to announce to its customers and partners that it has received 3 labels from the French Space Agency, regarding:

Development, manufacturing, integration and tests of space mechanisms

Expertise and development of technologies and experiments for microgravity

Mechanical Assembly, Integration and Tests (AIT) of space technologies and sub-systems.

New logo

Comat structures its activities into 3 business lines: Science & Exploration, Telecommunications & Observation, and Smallsats. On this occasion, we will put our new website online at the end of the month and we are pleased to unveil our new logo.