Are we alone in the universe?
- Erik Turestedt
- Feb 24
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 25
Rational Films was commissioned to produce Hexagon's customer story – From Microns to Mars
In Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, OHB System is developing advanced space systems for the European Space Agency. Their mission is ambitious: to identify habitable planets beyond our solar system and to search for signs of life on Mars.
Watch the full film below:
Searching 6,500 light years away – The PLATO Mission
PLATO is a satellite designed to search for rocky, Earth-like planets at the right distance from a Sun-like star. This is a so-called “habitable zone” – where liquid water, and potentially life, could exist.
To detect a planet, it will observe nearly one million stars up to 6,500 light-years away. Using 24 scientific cameras and two guidance cameras, detection is based on the tiny dip in starlight that occurs when a planet passes in front of its host star.
The required stability is almost unimaginable. The satellite must maintain alignment precise enough to detect the equivalent of a coin’s diameter from several hundred kilometers away. But first, it has to survive launch forces of up to 50g and operate in temperatures ranging from -150°C to +150°C.
Searching life on Mars – The ExoMars Mission
While PLATO searches the stars, ExoMars searches beneath the surface of Mars. The goal is to detect biosignatures that may indicate past or present life on Mars.
OHB System is responsible for key elements of the mission, including the Gas Trace Orbiter and components of the ExoMars rover.
To find the biosignatures, the rover will drill into the Martian soil and collect samples that will be analysed by an onboard laboratory. OHB System is specifically building the crushing station that converts these samples into a fine powder suitable for analysis.
Metrology – Turning astronomical ambition into engineering reality
Building one-off, highly complex satellites means there is no room for error. This level of reliability demands micron-level precision.
Metrology plays a fundamental role. From micrometers to several meters, every dimension must be measured and validated. Laser trackers align spacecraft subsystems within a global reference system. Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMMs) verify tolerances. Sub-micrometer shims are used to achieve perfect optical alignment. Computer tomography and 3D nondestructive testing also open up possibilities to analyse systems without breaking expensive components apart.
Hexagon’s role
The quality of metrology data is fundamental to mission success.
For over 30 years, OHB has relied on Hexagon’s precision measurement technology for optical instruments and space systems. From laser trackers and CMMs to advanced CT software solutions, Hexagon provides the tools, and the expertise, that enable extraordinary accuracy.
Rational Films’ work
Rational Films led the development of the complete customer story from concept to completion, transforming complex technical expertise into an emotive and engaging film.
Filmed at OHB System’s facility in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, Rational Films managed the entire production process in close collaboration with Hexagon: from concept development, story, and scriptwriting to motion graphics and final edit.
About Rational Films
Rational Films is a strategic B2B film agency specialising in translating complex business propositions into impactful, rational corporate films that resonate on an emotional, human level. Based in Sweden and Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Rational Films produces films for clients worldwide and is a preferred global partner for Hexagon, Dassault Systèmes, Kollmorgen, and Dataiku.
Discover how Rational Films can help transform your business proposition into a story with impact: www.rationalfilms.com
Read more about Hexagon:
Read more about the Plato Mission:
Read more about the ExoMars Mission: