Designing excellence in education – National Satellite Test Facility and The Rosalind Franklin Institute By: Arcadis Arcadis, a leading global company delivering sustainable architecture, engineering and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets, has designed the National Satellite Test Facility (NSTF) and the Rosalind Franklin Institute, both located on the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Didcot, South Oxfordshire. National Satellite Test Facility The architectural and landscape team at Arcadis were commissioned to design the NSTF, which was funded by the UK government to provide comprehensive space testing facilities within the UK. The R&D facilities at the NSTF include some of the largest ISO 8-rated clean rooms found in Europe supported by specialist mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) equipment. This equipment supports multiple test processes for satellites and spacecraft up to seven tonnes, preparing them for their journey to and lifetimes in space. The facility houses thermal vacuum, mass properties, acoustic, electromagnetic compatibility and antenna testing, as well two shaker tables with the capability to vibrate satellite equipment across three axes (equivalent to a fully loaded 25-seater bus strapped to the top of a jack hammer) and across 5-120Hz frequencies. The 7m diameter thermal vacuum chamber is the largest in … Continue reading National Satellite Test Facility & Rosalind Franklin Institute