ESA test facility

At the ESTEC facilities in Noordwijk, the ESA tests satellites to make sure they can withstand the conditions of outer space.


Space Simulator simulates conditions of extreme temperatures and vaccum of space.

The satellite shaker (below) tests satellites for resistance to vibrations during launch. It can shake up to 7000 times per second... so fast it's invisible to the human eye. There's an even bigger shaker for larger satellites, and the shaker is isolated in a separate building and very well reinforced because it has the potential to create a size 7 earthquaker on the Richter scale. If it were connected to the ground, it would devastate the entire region of the Netherlands.

The sound room exposes satellites up to 160 decibles, which is essential because the launch is extremely loud!!

Satellite building room.