Solar Simulator

Space is a thermally challenging environment as only radiative heat transfer is possible and fast temperature changes due to entering or leaving the eclipse region of a close by body can occur. This leads to thermal stress across all space hardware directly exposed to the Sun with the possibility to accelerated aging or cracks in exposed material. To ensure survival of the space hardware testing in a solar balance chamber like this solar simulator is recommended. This chamber is a thermal vacuum chamber with lamps with adjustable power simulating the solar spectrum with the highest possible accuracy.

This chamber can be used as a standalone thermal vacuum chamber for exceptionally large items which do not fit into our micro thermal vacuum system or TVC025 thermal vacuum system.

Technical specifications

Dimensions Chamber (inside)

$1230 mm$ diameter, $1300 mm$ length

Pressure

<$10^{-6} mbar$

Temperature

Oil temperature control system ($-45°C$ to $+90°C$ nominal) for table and shrouds.

$N_2$ cooling (down to $-160°C$) for shrouds. Temperature gradient $~1°C/minute$

Logging

PT100, $24$ channels, of which $11$ are available for the device under test

Vacuum Flanges

$3$ DN 40 ISO-KF

$2$ DN 100 ISO-K

$1$ DN 160 ISO-K

$1$ DN 250 ISO-K

$2$ flanges for thermal system (DN 40 ISO-KF)

$6$ flanges for thermal system (DN 100 ISO-K)

$1$ window (DN 160 ISO-K)

$4$ lamps (DN 250 ISO-K)

Vacuum Feed Throughs

List of possible connectors available on request

Dimensions Mounting Plate

$700 mm$ width, $1200 mm$ length

Material Mounting Plate

Copper

Pattern Mounting Plate

M5 holes with $76 mm$ center to center

Shroud

Black shroud with $N_2$ cooling

Optional Equipment

Residual gas analyzer

Lamps

4x Metal halide of type Philips MSR 575 HR

Illumination Area

$400$ x $400 mm$ area: $1-1350 W/m^2$

$500$ x $500 mm$ area: $0-310 W/m^2$ |

Photos: Annelie Klint Nilsson, IRF