For 10 days, the integrated Kinéis-CNES teams worked together at the Kinéis Control Centre on the CNES site in Toulouse to carry out new 'routine' technical qualification (QT) tests, but this time using degraded scenarios. The special feature of these degraded-mode tests was the injection of technical anomalies on the satellites during the constellation's daily operations. The aim was to test the capacity of the systems to manage these malfunctions as quickly as possible, while maintaining full control of operations and guaranteeing the smooth operation of Kinéis connectivity for the Internet of Things.

For example, ensuring that a satellite that has triggered survival mode* is properly taken over, or reconfiguring the ground station network after an antenna has undergone maintenance.

At the end of these tests, the Kinéis-CNES engineers demonstrated the ability of the on-board ground system to withstand these contingencies and recover its nominal performance in order to carry out its mission.

Next step: operational qualification tests of the post-launch sequence

*Survival mode is the operating mode adopted by a spacecraft when the on-board control system is unable to eliminate a major anomaly. It occurs mainly when the spacecraft is unable to determine its orientation, to control its rotational movements or when the available energy falls below a critical threshold. In this mode, the priorities of the control software are to control the orientation of the spacecraft, to produce energy (orientation of the solar panels) and to establish a radio link with Earth in order to obtain instructions for restoring normal operation.