September 26, 2023

Events Archive

March-September 2023: Satellite AIT Campaign on Flight Model and environmental testing; all results were according to expectations and the activity is maintaining the schedule announced by the Chinese. The latest event is mechanical testing (acoustic, vibration and shock testing).


18/04/2023: CNES-CNES Joint Steering Committee videoconference meeting to give go-ahead to start satellite AIT following receipt of flight models of the French ECLAIRs and MXT instruments; China commits to launching SVOM early in 2024.


21/04/2023: FPL DRB Part 2 in Shanghai, marking handover of French instruments from CNES to SECM.


March 2023: Restrictions relating to China’s zero-COVID policy lifted, clearing the way for CNES teams to return to China for the AIT campaign on the flight model of the SVOM satellite.


29/06/2022: FPL DRB Part 1 at CNES in Toulouse (videoconference) validating compliance of the ECLAIRs and MXT instruments with the satellite specifications and clearing hardware for shipping to China.


14 to 18/03/2022: French instruments Acceptance Review at CNES, giving go-ahead for delivery to China.


21/10/2021: CNES-CNSA Joint Steering Committee meeting by videoconference; flight models of the ECLAIRs and MXT instruments successfully completed environmental testing. The project schedule is impacted by the COVID health crisis, with the launch slipping several months (target mid-2023).


11/09/2020: CNES-CNSA Joint Steering Committee meeting by videoconference to validate the conclusions of the System Critical Design Review (CDR) and the good results of the satellite qualification campaign (QM Sat); go-ahead to transition to Phase D.


29 to 30/06/2020: French-Chinese Critical Design Review (CDR) by videoconference.


25/01/2020: Start of COVID health crisis in China; from this date onwards French engineering and science teams were no longer able to travel to China for 3 years.


March 2019 – March 2020: FlatSat and QM Sat campaigns completed nominally in Shanghai with close involvement of CNES teams.


21/09/2019: CNES-CNSA Joint Steering Committee meeting by videoconference; first French instrument hardware (telescope STM, electronic unit EQM) delivered for upcoming FlatSat and QM Sat campaigns at SECM in Shanghai.


09/12/2017: CNES-CNSA Joint Steering Committee meeting in Paris at CNES HQ to validate the conclusions of the System Interface Review (SIR), marked by the inclusion of MM ToO (multi-messenger target of opportunity like gravitational waves) in the mission scenario. Go-ahead to transition to Phase C.


12/08/2016: Go-ahead for of the CDE1 Phases by CNES’s Board of Directors.


11/17/2016: French inter-organizations Committee meeting.


09/26/2016: CNES-CNSA Joint Steering CommitteeCNES-CNSA, end of the Preliminary Design Review and authorization go-ahead to pass in transition to C Phase C.


08/02/2014: Signature of MoU between CNSA and CNES with new sharing of responsibilities.


05/2014: Technical meeting to prepare the new MoU.


06/2013: Technical meeting in Paris. Analysis of the new payload configuration.


02/2013: Talks resumed between CNES and CNSA.


02/2012: Project put on stand by by CNES.


06/2011: Project meeting at Haute-Provence Observatory. Analysis of a descoped mission.


11/2010: Technical meeting in Beijing.


06/2010: Conference about SVOM during World Expo in Shanghai.


04/2010: Technical meeting in Dourdan, France.


02/01/2010: 6th China-France Space Subgroup Meeting in Paris.


01/2009: Joint Steering Committee meeting in Beijing which ruled on the completeness of phase A.


12/2008: French-Chinese end of Phase A Review in Beijing.


07/2007: Videoconference of the Joint Science Committee.

The main conclusion of the this Committee meeting was to abandon the WACs (Wide Angle Cameras).


06/2007: Meeting of the System Engineering group (composed of Chinese and French experts from SECM and CNES).

This meeting took place in Shanghai and the French delegation was able to visit SECM facilities where the payload will undergo integration and tests.


03/2007: Kick-off of SVOM phase Phase A in Xi'an during the last week of March.

An overall work plan was established with responsibility sharing (common and specific parts for each partner). The Chinese opened the doors of their XIOPM, institute which will be responsible for developing the VT (Visible Telescope).


02/2007: MDR (Mission Definition Review, end of Phase 0) at CNES.


11-12/2006: A delegation of 6 people from SECM came for about 2 months to Alcatel (now Thales).

This stay was part of the agreement between the Chinese and the company under their pre-B contract. A meeting with CNES' team took place in Cannes before Christmas 2006, where this activity was reviewed and visions of the SVOM mission were harmonized.


09/2006: Phase 0 after the review in September 2006 in Shanghai.

The core of this activity took place at CNES (PASO study)


10/25/2006: Signature of the MoU between CNSA (China National Space Administration) and CNES

Published in: