Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

From spacecrafts to shutters…

As tests continue on the stranded Starliner spacecraft, our writer has been on a testing mission of his own…

 

Eight days. That’s how long their mission was meant to Last. 

Now it’s emerged that two American astronauts could be stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) until 2025, pending the results of make-or-break tests. Astronauts Wilmore and Williams were launched into orbit on 5th June aboard Boeing’s new Starliner spacecraft. But the journey didn’t go as smoothly as planned. 

The spacecraft encountered a series of problems on approach, including leaks in its propulsion system and the untimely shutdown of some thrusters. Since then, Boeing has been putting the Starliner through a series of remote tests, trying to iron out the wrinkles and convince NASA that it’s safe to bring the astronauts back home. 

Now, I’m no rocket scientist, but I can definitely relate to the pressure of rigorous testing… 

Down here on Earth, our security grilles and shutters are also under some serious scrutiny. And trust me, the BRE LPS 1175 tests could give Boeing’s engineers a run for their money – well, almost… 

If you’re not familiar with the term, LPS 1175 is a rating used by the Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) to categorise how long it would take an intruder to breach physical security measures such as grilles, shutters and doors. 

The testers use a variety of instruments from a designated toolkit to perform a series of attacks for a set length of time. How well the product stands up to this onslaught determines whether it’s awarded an SR1, SR2, or SR3 accreditation. 

Although our high-security designs already meet the LPS 1175 Issue 7 standards, in the world of security – much like in space – you’ve got to stay ahead of the game. The tactics thieves use are constantly evolving, and we need to evolve with them. 

So this week I made my way to the BRE facility in Watford, where we kicked off the testing process for Issue 8 – the latest iteration of the LPS standards. 

Here I spent the whole day watching two burly testers (seriously, they looked more like cage fighters!) batter the living daylights out of our products with an impressive armoury of tools. Knives, hammers, chisels, drills, hacksaws – you name it, those guys used it! But there’s more to the process than just brute force. 

The whole exercise is incredibly thorough, with testers measuring a plethora of data points to ensure accuracy and reliability. And this is what many people don’t realise – a huge amount of work goes into earning that LPCB badge. It might not be the most pleasant task, and it’s definitely not cheap, but we fully support the accreditation process. 

As an independent benchmark for protection against forced entry, it gives customers peace of mind that our products are built to withstand even the most determined intruder. 

And at the end of the day, that’s what truly matters. Whether you’re 250 miles above Earth or have both feet safely on the ground, knowing you’re protected is priceless.

 

William Waller

Managing Director

Trellidor UK

the ultimate crime barrier

Get a Free Security Assessment & Quote

Our products are custom fitted for strength and safety, and come with up to 5 years warranty. Contact us today for a free security assessment and quote.