Sunshield Deployment Test

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The Gaia spacecraft's Deployable Sunshield Assembly (DSA) unfurls during a test on Dec. 2, 2011. The timelapse shown here speeds up the process, which takes about twenty minutes. Because the sunshield is designed to be deployed in zero gravity, support cables must be used during testing on Earth.

Astrium

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Contact us to request publication permission from the copyright holder. Original image data dated on or about December 2, 2011