Flight test instrumentation

These are electronic boxes that interface to FTI sources and are typically designed to be rugged and reliable.

For the end user it means shorter wiring, better accuracy and easier installation and maintenance.

So called commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) systems are commonly used to keep costs low and speed delivery.

This approach, and indeed the use of FTI originally developed for aerospace applications well within the Earth’s atmosphere, is also increasingly common for space launchers and vehicles.

[3] More extensive testing and qualification is generally performed to help ensure reliability in the more hostile environments encountered at high altitudes and in space (for example ionizing radiation).