Satellites go through a lot. As they hurtle around our planet at up to 17,000 miles an hour they must cope with the extreme vacuum of space and vast temperature swings. To get them ready for this ordeal is the UK’ National Satellite Test Facility at Harwell Campus. Find out more in Jonathan O’Callaghan’s piece for Wired Magazine. 

“The industry said they needed a one-stop-shop where they can do all of their testing for their large complex satellites in one place,” says Sarah Beardsley, the director at RAL Space, which runs the new facility. “This is the result of years of hard work.” 

Credit Photo: Greg White