Unprecedented times in the aerospace and aviation industries are seeing many companies having to reduce their headcount or subcontract core capabilities to secure their business' survival. Areas such as R&D and testing, which are further away from revenue generation, are often the first to feel the impact. Callisto, part of the pan-European Celestia Technologies Group, is offering a new, flexible approach to specialist test services on an outsourced basis, with a range of products and services driven by highly experienced, best-in-class engineers but provided at a variable cost.
With 20 plus years of experience in Radio Frequencies and cryogenic systems, Callisto provides a full range of high precision and cost-effective cryogenic test equipment and services covering many different applications and sectors.
It also offers bespoke consultancy services, widely used by organizations such as ESA, including engineering services, equipment design, system integration, and thermal cycling test, from its state-of-the-art facility in Toulouse, France.
A key specialism is designing and manufacturing cryogenic LNAs to improve Ground Station Noise Temperature (NT). Callisto's thermal vacuum cycling bench provides high precision and cost-effective cryogenic test services, using dry cryogenics with no liquid nitrogen or liquid helium. Its test bench has several important features:
- Test temperature from 15K to 333K (or -260°c + 60°C).
- High vacuum, typically 10-5 mbar.
- Typical cooldown slope, 1 to 2 Kelvin/min.
- Six configurable access ports including electrical, coaxial, waveguide, and optical.
- An internal enclosure size of 40 x 40 x 12 cm.
- Suitability for a wide range of component testing including RF, electronic components, small mechanical parts, and bonded assemblies.
The system can cycle automatically within the defined temperature range for a large number of cycles, usually performing between 10 and 200 cycles, though is not limited to these values.
Callisto also supplies a wide range of additional specialist testing equipment and facilities for the most challenging technical projects, including particular expertise in RF measurement up to 40 GHz and RF measurement for Cryo LNAs at very low noise temperature.
The test service provides a flexible solution for components and electronics assemblies or small mechanical structures, with a price on a per-test basis to minimize expenditure. Callisto also supplies testing equipment and customer training.
