On 24th of November 2016, finally, the new space exhibition in the aviation hall of the Swiss Museum of Transport was opened. One of the eye catcher of the new exhibition is the newley deployed satellite EURECA. It is now very well accessible close to the gallery and its interior can be explored with help of the x-ray investigation shown in a movie.

Eureca is hanging under the roof top of the aviation hall in its full beauty. At its new location the two solar panel are entirely deployed and the satellite is shown in its “space formation”. The entire satellite now has a length of about 20m.

Eureca hanging under the roof of the aviation hall. The screen below is showing a snap shot of the movie that has been made together with Empa and Voxilion GmbH to show scan of the satellite and two experiments. It allows a view into the objects to discover the objects in 3D.

Eureca was hung up on its new spot in the aviation hall. Now with the solar arrays deployed in its full size, the satellite is the a new eye catcher. With its total length of around 20m, it is hunged up the way it was travelling in orbit.

The satellite still “naked” being hung up in the aviation hall. The construction for putting the solar arrays into place beeing ready.

The fragile solar panel are in place to lift them up to the satellite. Don’t forget to remeber, the solar panels were constructed to be deployed in microgravity and not on Earth.

Finally, the satellite hung up with its full wingspread and in all of its beauty.

After several days of Investigation at Empa, the satellite was transported back to the Swiss Museum of Transport. With the experience from the first transport, the second time was easier and faster.

The satellite (~3t) was moved on tracks out of the x-ray hall.

The satllite installed on the back of the truck of Brunner Transport AG, specialised on difficult cargo.

The satellite arrives back home in the Swiss Museum of Transport.

After the transport to Dübendorf, the question was to bring the satellite into the X-Ray room of Empa. Empa already prepared tracks in order to push the satellite into the room. But how to get the satellite onto the tracks as the roof in front of the gate prevented the crane to lever the satellite directly on the tracks. Thanks also to the great expertise of Brunner-Transporte (Littau LU), the satellite ended up after 3 hours of work inside the room hanging at Empa’s crane.

The satellite arrived safely in Dübendorf. / Image: SSC O.Chandran

The total weight of the satellite was 2700kg including the transport cradle (400kg weighted the yellow metal bar). / Image: SSC O.Chandran

The satellite is lifted up and placed onto the tracks. / Image: SSC O.Chandran

Hand-work is required to push the 3t-satellite into Empa’s the X-ray room. / Image: SSC O. Chandran

Finally, the satellite is inside the X-ray room and gets started to be unwrapped. / Image: SSC O.Chandran