What is the use of space research?
The heroic and political driven space exploration period of the '60 en '70 is over. Nowadays space research and commercially exploitated satellite networks provide everyday services as telecom and weather forecasting.
Microgravity research provides in-depth scientific knowledge on life science, fluid science and material science resulting in breakthroughs in medical, petrochemical and biotechnology applications.

What is the key expertise of Verhaert?
Verhaert's key expertise is situated in its capability to manage complex product and system development programmes.

What type of qualification does Verhaert expect from its personnel?
Our design process iterates between configuration and verification activities. Therefore our design and engineering department is in need for both strong analytical talents to pinpoint core problems and people who can converge often conflicting sets of data and requirements, in innovative solutions.
Besides this qualification our team members need to be open minded and curious. Most of them also have a degree in engineering.

How is it possible for an SME to attract all this talented and highly skilled personnel?
Our activities stimulate imagination. Young engineers are attracted by the challenges and multi-disciplinarily space systems and like to put their soul in our industrial products, often installed in semi-public environments.

Is Verhaert also involved in the development of big space programmes like Arianne and the Shuttle?
Verhaert always strives for a system responsibility in its projects. Since big launcher programmes only create opportunities for an SME on sub-system level, we prefer to focus on our small system niches e.g. microgravity instrumentation and small satellites.

How can Verhaert offer its services for firm-fixed prices, planning and performances?
Before committing itself to firm-fixed conditions, Verhaert always executes a quick design. The outcome of this extremely rough design is confronted with our experience and hence provides the tool to define criticalities in the development.
A plan to overcome those criticalities is defined. This plan, on which our proposal is based, becomes the backbone of our firm-fixed commitment.

Is Verhaert ISO certified?
Verhaert is working according to ESA procedures and is annually audited by the agency. These procedures are very similar to the ISO system. Therefore Verhaert never felt the need to acquire ISO certification.