{"id":9617,"date":"2026-10-29T09:53:58","date_gmt":"2026-10-29T09:53:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/?p=9617"},"modified":"2026-10-29T10:20:11","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T10:20:11","slug":"connova-builds-telescope-structure-for-esa-climate-mission-co2m","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/en\/news\/connova-builds-telescope-structure-for-esa-climate-mission-co2m\/","title":{"rendered":"New case study: Connova builds the telescope structure for ESA\u2019s CO2M climate mission"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"9617\" class=\"elementor elementor-9617 elementor-9607\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4bca0ed e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"4bca0ed\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;gradient&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c4c6c9a e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"c4c6c9a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fcf211d e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"fcf211d\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-679b4a0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"679b4a0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"860\" src=\"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/co2m-teleskopstruktur-case-study-connova-hero.webp\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-8798\" alt=\"Telescope structure for the ESA mission CO2M in front of the Earth\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/co2m-teleskopstruktur-case-study-connova-hero.webp 1920w, https:\/\/www.connova.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/co2m-teleskopstruktur-case-study-connova-hero-300x134.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.connova.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/co2m-teleskopstruktur-case-study-connova-hero-1024x459.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.connova.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/co2m-teleskopstruktur-case-study-connova-hero-768x344.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.connova.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/co2m-teleskopstruktur-case-study-connova-hero-1536x688.webp 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d24438d e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"d24438d\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-63e2d49 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"63e2d49\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1d821b7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1d821b7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">New case study: Connova builds the telescope structure for ESA\u2019s CO2M climate mission<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-acca8a1 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"acca8a1\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;gradient&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cca6daa elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cca6daa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>How much carbon dioxide actually comes from human activity, and from where? The Copernicus mission CO2M is set to answer this question from orbit. Together with Thales Alenia Space Switzerland, Connova AG developed, manufactured and qualified the telescope structure for the mission. Our new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/en\/case-study-co2m-telescope-structure-for-esa-earth-observation\/\">case study<\/a> shows how.<\/strong><\/p><h2 style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>A structure no one will ever see in orbit<\/strong><\/h2><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From an altitude of around 735 kilometers, three CO2M satellites will deliver the data needed to verify climate targets independently. For these measurements to succeed, the optical instrument on board must retain its exact shape for the entire mission: under launch loads, in vacuum and through thousands of thermal cycles. This is made possible by a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/en\/composites-for-space\/telescope-structures\/\">composite telescope structure<\/a> that no one will ever lay eyes on once it is in orbit.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-307e2e5 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"307e2e5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c66377a e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"c66377a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-da8921f elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"da8921f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"566\" height=\"887\" src=\"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/co2m-teleskopstruktur-qualifizierte-baugruppe.webp\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-8799\" alt=\"Qualified CO2M telescope structure from Connova AG for ESA Earth observation\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/co2m-teleskopstruktur-qualifizierte-baugruppe.webp 566w, https:\/\/www.connova.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/co2m-teleskopstruktur-qualifizierte-baugruppe-191x300.webp 191w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 566px) 100vw, 566px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0197189 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"0197189\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1d9334e elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1d9334e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"473\" height=\"706\" src=\"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/co2m-teleskopstruktur-aufnahmepunkte-optik.webp\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-8806\" alt=\"View into the CO2M telescope structure with the mounting points of the optical components\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/co2m-teleskopstruktur-aufnahmepunkte-optik.webp 473w, https:\/\/www.connova.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/co2m-teleskopstruktur-aufnahmepunkte-optik-201x300.webp 201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 473px) 100vw, 473px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4e3ae7e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4e3ae7e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Accurate to hundredths of a millimeter<\/strong><\/h2><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At Connova, engineering, production and quality assurance work under one roof. That kept lines of communication short throughout every project phase, from the initial concept evaluation to the qualified assembly. A few steps from the case study:<\/p><ul><li>We compensated for the spring-in of the composite parts at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/en\/competencies\/design-and-calculation\/\">design stage<\/a>. As a result, the laminated parts were manufactured within a form tolerance of 0.2 mm.<\/li><li>Specially developed precision bonding jigs were used for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/en\/competencies\/assembly\/\">assembly<\/a> and bonding.<\/li><li>All mounting points for the mirror optics were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/en\/competencies\/cnc-machining-and-service-contracting\/\">CNC-machined<\/a> in a single setup. The result: positional accuracy down to 0.02 mm at the optical interfaces.<\/li><li>Using representative coupons, we <a href=\"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/en\/competencies\/measurement-and-testing\/\">characterized<\/a> the mechanical and thermo-mechanical properties of the materials and assessed the outgassing behavior of all materials.<\/li><\/ul><p style=\"margin-top: 24px;\"><em>\u201cThe success of this project is built on the close interplay between our departments and on our partnership with Thales Alenia Space Switzerland. Thanks to continuous exchange across all project phases, we were able to reliably translate complex requirements for precision, materials, processes, and qualification into a flight-ready structure.\u201d<\/em><\/p><p>Sebastian Preiss, Head of Engineering, Connova AG<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9fa9ff7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9fa9ff7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Read the full case study<\/strong><\/h2><p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Project data, images and your point of contact are on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/en\/case-study-co2m-telescope-structure-for-esa-earth-observation\/\">CO2M telescope structure project page<\/a>. There you can download the full case study as a free PDF in English or German. You will find more projects in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/en\/case-studies\/\">case study overview<\/a> and under <a href=\"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/en\/composites-for-space\/\">composites for space<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-42bc97a elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"42bc97a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/en\/case-study-co2m-telescope-structure-for-esa-earth-observation\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"707\" src=\"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/co2m-case-study-pdf-titelseite-en.webp\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-9626\" alt=\"Title page of the case study &quot;CO2M Telescope Structure for ESA Earth Observation&quot; as a PDF\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/co2m-case-study-pdf-titelseite-en.webp 1000w, https:\/\/www.connova.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/co2m-case-study-pdf-titelseite-en-300x212.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.connova.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/co2m-case-study-pdf-titelseite-en-768x543.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1e02fc5 elementor-align-left elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"1e02fc5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/en\/case-study-co2m-telescope-structure-for-esa-earth-observation\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><rect width=\"20\" height=\"20\" fill=\"url(#pattern0_1194_5)\"><\/rect><defs><pattern id=\"pattern0_1194_5\" patternContentUnits=\"objectBoundingBox\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\"><use xlink:href=\"#image0_1194_5\" transform=\"scale(0.05)\"><\/use><\/pattern><image id=\"image0_1194_5\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" preserveAspectRatio=\"none\" xlink:href=\"data:image\/png;base64,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\"><\/image><\/defs><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">View case study<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-05dceca elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"05dceca\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>At a glance<\/strong><\/h3><ul><li>Program: ESA Copernicus CO2M<\/li><li>Customer: Thales Alenia Space Schweiz AG<\/li><li>Connova\u2019s scope: design, material procurement, manufacturing, assembly and qualification<\/li><li>Key figures: positional accuracy down to 0.02 mm at the optical interfaces, 0.2 mm form tolerance of the laminated parts<\/li><li>Contact: Taylan Toprak, Head of Sales &amp; Project Management<\/li><\/ul><p style=\"font-size: 13px; margin-top: 24px;\"><em>The project leading to these results was carried out under a programme of, and funded by, the European Space Agency. The views expressed in this publication can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Space Agency.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Together with Thales Alenia Space Switzerland, Connova developed, manufactured and qualified the telescope structure for the Copernicus CO2M mission: accurate down to 0.02 mm. The new case study shows how.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8798,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9617","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-non-classe"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9617","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9617"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9617\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9647,"href":"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9617\/revisions\/9647"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8798"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9617"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9617"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.connova.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9617"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}