Mechanical verification logic and first test results for the Euclid spacecraft

Euclid is an optical/near-infrared survey mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) to investigate the nature of dark energy, dark matter and gravity by observing the geometry of the Universe and the formation of structures over cosmological timescales. The Euclid spacecraft mechanical architecture comprises the Payload Module (PLM) and the Service Module (SVM) connected by an interface structure designed to maximize thermal and mechanical decoupling. This paper shortly illustrates the mechanical system of the spacecraft and the mechanical verification philosophy which is based on the Structural and Thermal Model (STM), built at flight standard for structure and thermal qualification and the Proto Flight Model (PFM), used to complete the qualification programme. It will be submitted to a proto-flight test approach and it will be suitable for launch and flight operations. Within the overall verification approach crucial mechanical tests have been successfully performed (2018) on the SVM platform and on the sunshield (SSH) subsystem: the SVM platform static test, the SSH structure modal survey test and the SSH sine vibration qualification test. The paper reports the objectives and the main results of these tests.