I would like to know if anybody has any advice regarding a preflight check that I am doing for a satellite.
I would like to know if anybody has any experience regarding a standard excel sheet for all the analysis that I will have to do: static, dynamic, acoustic, etc. I'm working through SICSA.
I am assuming that you are referring to satellite qualification, and not a final pre-launch check, which would depend greatly on the satellite in question.
In regards to qualification, there are a number of standard tests that space hardware undergo to assure proper functionality on orbit. Unfortunately, as far as I know, there is no standard excel sheet describing these tests, as each mission will have different requirements and consequently different testing schedules.
The first concern is static structural stability, assuring that the satellite superstructure will hold up to the normal accelerations during launch and the more mundane 1G accelerations felt during the phases of its assembly and testing. This is usually performed in a centrifuge and iterated through multiple spacecraft orientations.
After this, the spacecraft is typically subjected to environmental testing. A thermal vacuum chamber is used to subject the satellite to a near vacuum and a cycle it through a range of temperatures that is equal to or greater than the expected operational range. Depending on the mission, this phase of testing may include radiation and magnetic field exposure.
Sometimes bunched with environmental testing is the launch dynamics testing. Large shaker tables are used to subject the spacecraft to vibrations that simulate the launch profile. This testing is also used to determine modal natural frequencies of the spacecraft. If required this phase also includes acoustic testing which simulates the acoustic profile inside the fairing.
Some satellites (certainly many satellite subsystems) require EM noise testing. For this testing, the satellite is placed in a listening chamber wherein the electronics are powered up to determine the EM noise generated and determine if it is within mission parameters.
During and after all of these, the on-board systems are usually tested to verify that the telemetry/comms are all nominal. Beyond these physical tests, satellites typically under go vast functionality testing to assure that the electronics all function properly, subsystem intercoms work effectively, ground station communication systems are functional, and software systems trip no errors.
All of the things I've listed are extremely general. The truth is that these tests, like most things in the space industry, are highly specialized. They are not required for every payload, just some; many payloads will require specific testing which I have not listed here. It takes a person with an intimate knowledge of the spacecraft's systems and the mission requirements to properly determine what pre-flight testing needs to occur. I recommend you ask a supervisor.
