Thermal Vacuum Test Chamber

Wide Temperature Range Vacuum Testing

The Thermal Vacuum Chamber is used for testing spacecraft components under simulated environmental space conditions such as cold or high temperatures. 

• Pressures as low as 10⁷ Torr
• Chamber Temperature: -195 to =150 C
• Liquid Nitrogen cooled radiative shroud
• Cold Fixture: ~4 K
• TQCM contamination monitor
• Working Volume: 5' x 2' x 22" (1525 x 610 x 560 mm)
• LabVIEW monitoring software
• 5 independent temperature sub-zones
• 48 Temperature monitoring channels
• 82 Instrument signal channels
• 4 RF channels in SMA

Small Vacuum Test Chamber

Vacuum: 

• High Vacuum (<10-6 Torr) 

• Dry scroll pump for oil-free rough pumping 

• Turbopump to achieve high vacuum 

• Nitrogen backfill with options for higher purity gases 

Test Volume: 

• Test volume of 23 x 17 x 15” 

• Aluminum plate with standard hole pattern to mount UUT 

• Optional CQCM  

• Note: This may reduce allowable UUT height  

Temperature Control: 

• Thermal platen 

• -100 to 260C 

• Chamber walls 

• +35 to 220C 

• 11 available thermocouples 

Electrical: 

• Various CF/KF feedthrough options available 

Facilities 

• Chamber door inside ISO7 softwall cleantent with ESD flooring 

• Feedthroughs all outside the cleantent to allow operator to monitor UUT in a normal lab environment 

Other: 

• Optional CQCM for real-time contamination measurements 

Vibration Testing

The vibration table is used for testing spacecraft components under a simulated controlled environment to reproduce events such as a rocket launch, sine, random shock, etc.

• Ability to test in accordance with NASA-STD-7000
• Ability to test in accordance with MIL-STD-810
• Vibration test design and analysis
• Fixture design, analysis, and manufacturing

• Data Physics LE-308-3EF Electrodynamic Shaker Table
  • 5-3000Hz Frequency range
  • Max Sine force of 3500lbf
  • Max Random force of 2900lbf
  • Max Shock force of 7700lbf
  • Max peak to peak displacement of 3"
  • Head expander and slip plate configurations
• Data Physics Abaqus 906 Dynamic Signal Analyzer
  • 35 channels
  • High sensitivity accelerometers for accurate control
  • High range accelerometers for instrumentation
  • Multi-channel control
  • Response limiting
  • Force limiting
  • Various input modes:
    • Random
    • Sine
    • Random on Random
    • Sine on Random
    • Shock
    • Shock Response Synthesis
    • Resonance Search and Dwell

Mass Properties

The MOI Tester is a gravity-driven pendulum. 

Thermal Testing

Ambient pressure thermal testing from 190 to -70 C is used for environmental testing.

EMI/EMC Testing

This spaceflight hardware testing ensures the reliable operation of electronic systems, prevents interference that could compromise mission-critical communications, and safeguards against potential malfunctions caused by electromagnetic disturbances in the harsh and complex environment of space.