The 16-day test campaign consisted of placing the satellite in a thermal vacuum chamber that accurately simulated the thermal and environmental conditions of low Earth orbit at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif. 

      The spacecraft’s performance was evaluated by many different operational modes, such as a “day-in-the-life” test which simulated flying the spacecraft for 20 orbits. The test data aims to accurately correlate the detailed spacecraft thermal and power models and verify that all subsystems performed as projected.

      Skybox is now entering final testing phases of the spacecraft, which includes integrated system and launch base testing. The next key test is vibration testing set for early 2013, the last major milestone before the satellite’s planned second quarter 2013 launch.