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PheniX TVAC Test facility

General Description

The Phenix Facility is a thermal vacuum facility dedicated to small / medium spacecrafts and subsystems. 

The facility consists of a cylindrical chamber with a movable box shaped shrouds and a movable preparation platform

The specific design enables a quicker throughput time: 

  • The movable platform/shroud enables preparation outside the chamber and quick facility loading, 
  • A ring interface and point interface provides flexibility in test adapter design, the independent controllable shrouds enable testing without extra IR rig (6 independent thermal channels).

In the upper part of the box shaped shrouds interfaces are available for supporting videogrammetry equipment and specific IR simulators to complement the independent controllable shrouds.

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TECHNICAL PARAMETERS
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Main chamber dimensions

Diameter x length [m]

4.5 x 11.9

Vacuum Pumping system

Typical achievable pressure [mbar]

<10 – 5

Lowest achievable pressure [mbar]

3.10 – 7

Shroud & Nitrogen supply equipment

Temperature in LN2 mode

< 100 K

Heat Load in LN2 mode

30 kW

Temperature in GN2 mode

123 – 350 K

Heat load in GN2 mode

2 kW

Thermal control: independent channels

6

Surface emissivity

0.9

Maximum mass test object [kg]

4000 *)

*) Higher test object mass requires prior assessment and validation

Usable volume

With thermal tent: length x width x height [m]

4.2 x 2.5 x 3.0

Without thermal tent: diameter x length [m]

4.5 x 8.0

Access to chamber

Main door [m]

Ø 4.5

2 side doors [m]

Ø 2.7

Material

Stainless steel 304LN

Situated in class 100 000 clean room area (DIN 14644-1 class 8)