The European (ESA) approved test centre for small to medium space vehicles, focused not only on structural strength, can be found at the Institute of Aerospace Engineering of the FSI BUT.
The department has many years of experience in testing aerospace structures and cooperation with Czech and foreign industry. The average number of research or proof tests is 60 per year.
Currently, the test facility has already completed a number of specific space projects – e.g. Mission Plato.
Another interesting space project was, for example, the Moon-drone, which is to serve as a flying exploration unit of the lunar rover. The tested sample was the complete Moon-drone fuel tank structure (upper part and lower hemisphere, diaphragm, upper and lower manifold with seals), landing gear structure, main engine, four positioning thrusters with associated piping and hoses without avionics, wiring, etc. Two load conditions were required for testing – a vacuum test and an overpressure test.
Brno has become a centre of space research in recent years and the facility has the ambition to be a partner for industrial companies for testing space structures.