In-orbit testing and acceptance

In-orbit testing is the campaign run after orbit raising. Every subsystem (propulsion, power, attitude control, payload) is verified under real conditions before the customer formally accepts the satellite. It serves two functions that have nothing to do with each other and must be kept apart. Technically, it exposes the design and integration faults that only appear in flight, the period that carries by far the highest loss frequency of the whole spacecraft life. Contractually, it is the hinge that transfers title and risk from manufacturer to operator. It is also where cover moves from the launch policy, often written as launch plus twelve months, to the annually renewed in-orbit policy. An anomaly found during acceptance therefore raises the most litigated question in the class, the date of occurrence: the answer determines which insurer responds, which deductible applies and whether a manufacturer warranty claim exists at all.