This site uses cookies to help make it more useful and reliable. Our Cookies page explains what they are, which ones we use, and how you can manage or remove them. — Don't show this message again

RAL Space achieves UK's only ECSS-Q-ST-20-07C certification
13 Jan 2023
No
-  

 

 

RAL Space has been awarded the quality and safety assurance certification for space test centres from the European Space Agency (ESA).

No

​​​​​​​​RAL Space's clean rooms have been recognised with ECSS-Q-ST-20-07C certification​​

 

​A team of technical, quality assurance and safety experts from ESA have completed an extensive assessment of the RAL Space test facilities against the internationally recognised ECSS-Q-ST-20-07C criteria. The review looked at the organisation's quality management system and vibration, pyroshock and clean room capabilities.

Richard Stamper, Head of Assurance and Business Operations at RAL Space said:

“This certification acknowledges the hard work put in behind the scenes by the quality assurance and environmental test teams to deliver the best possible service for our customers. I am very pleased that the auditors recognised this work, and we are positioned to align our service with the requirements of ESA projects."

The auditors praised the condition of the facilities, the comprehensive quality and safety systems documentation and the ease of retrieving this information as well as noting that:

“The RAL Space test centre management is highly committed to the continual improvement of the quality and safety management system of the organisation. This is highly appreciated by the ESA Audit Team."

Certification to ECSS-Q-ST-20-07C recognises the quality of service provided by RAL Space and the team's ability to fulfil the needs to the UK and European space community through delivering ESA programmes. These standards are used across the space industry to define how space programmes are delivered for both ESA funded and non-ESA funded work.

Matt Fletcher, Head of Environmental Test at RAL Space said:

“After many years operating space test facilities for our community, we are always striving to improve how we work and look forward to maintaining our certification and extending it across our range of test facilities."

The milestone comes after RAL Space's vibration testing suite and six clean rooms were awarded aerospace industry quality certification EN9100: 2018 in December 2020. The team aims to extending both sets of certification to the new, large scale National Satellite Test Facility which will offer UK and international satellite manufacturers complete environmental testing for spacecraft up to 7 tonnes.

 


Contact:  

Loading