Internship - Framework for spacecraft operations preparation test campaigns

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About Aerospacelab

Our mission is supported by an ambitious vertically integrated approach: design & manufacture of small satellites combined with development of earth observation services.

Since its creation in 2018, the company has already grown substantially. Our team gathers more than 25 engineering expertise, from hardware design to software development & data science.

In 2026, Aerospacelab counts offices in Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium), Toulouse (France), Lausanne (Switzerland) and US West Coast with more than 450 full-time employees, with the ambition to position itself as the European leader in small satellites.

Context

Before each launch, spacecraft operations are prepared and validated through a series of test campaigns, from functional and compatibility tests to technical and operational qualification. These campaigns are critical: they confirm that the procedures, tools and interfaces are ready for LEOP, commissioning and nominal operations. Today they are largely rebuilt for each mission, with setups that differ between teams, which costs time and makes results harder to compare from one mission to the next.

As part of our Satellite Operations team the intern’s goal will be to standardize the preparation of these campaigns.

Objective

Build a standard, reusable framework for the test campaigns that validate critical spacecraft operations, supported by a testing infrastructure shared between teams.

Tasks

Audit past launch campaigns and identify the common core for each testing level.
Write campaign templates: scope, entry and exit criteria, test lists and reporting.
Work closely with ground segment teams to improve the testing setup.
Set up a framework that can be reused across satellites and teams.