Flight Structure Machining

February 17, 2025

Author: Forrester Munroe Parlee VE7FPM

We’re pleased to announce that we have received the flight candidate machined chassis components from Rainhouse, which has allowed us to complete a mock assembly and a fit check, and send these parts out for anodizing. This is an important AI&T milestone on our roadmap towards integration.

MARMOTSat chassis mid-assembly (first), and frame piece (second)

The chassis components were designed by our mechanical team at UVic, and manufactured to tight design specifications required by our launch provider. The design itself was the result of an iterative process, refined using our mechanical model, detailed in our earlier Mechanical Model post. The components received today are the flight hardware, slated to go to space as part of MARMOTSat after anodization.

MARMOTSat chassis assembly (first), and tolerance checking (second)

An in-house inspection, measurements and a fit-check of the temporarily assembled structure confirmed that  the parts are in good condition, meeting the desired tight tolerances. The dowel pin interfaces in particular demonstrated excellent tolerance control, which speak to the outstanding capabilities and expertise at Rainhouse. 

MARMOTSat chassis component photos

With the mock assembly and verifications complete, the structure parts are ready to be sent off to Vancouver to be anodized, a critical step in flight-hardware integration as the project moves towards the flight spacecraft assembly phase. 

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Rainhouse for their in-kind support of our project by machining these components for us free of charge. 

 Stay tuned for more updates as the MARMOTSat AI&T progresses!