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RAL Space Large TVAC Suites
22 Nov 2018
Yes
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Yes
 



RAL Space has 2 large TVAC chambers in the R100 complex. Details of these are:

  • Two Space Test Chambers (STC's) both 5m diameter x 6m length
  • Temperature range -180°C +120°C
  • Vacuum rating: 10-7 mbar (payload and temperature dependent)
  • Dedicated Optical Ground Support Equipment (OGSE) rooms
  • Direct Electrical Ground Support Equipment (EGSE) access areas
  • Dry pumping system throughout, with molecular contamination control
  • Clean Room support facilities
  • Clean room suites 250 m² each, ISO class 5/6
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High-performance vibration isolation both 5m chambers is designed into building:

  • Optically-sensitive instruments are mounted on a set of ‘quiet’ rails in the chamber, which are directly coupled to a seismic block, isolated from the chamber body
  • All other equipment coupled to building structure via a set of ‘noisy’ rails mounted on chamber body
  • Overall seismic mass for each chamber ~300 tonnes resting on 22 air suspension bags
  • Seismic block extends beyond chamber at both ends enabling OGSE to be coupled to the block and to the quiet rails
  • Interfaces external to the vacuum chamber are steel plates with grid pattern of holes
​ 5m diameter chamber with one end of the seismic isolation
 block in the foreground

Contact:  

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