In addition, upgrades to the facility were also effected in the areas of analytic services, mass properties measurements, infrared testing, and modal analysis. In addition, several foreign programs are also currently under negotiation. Thermal vacuum or space simulation testing refers to the technique used for simulating or replicating the extreme temperature excursions and vacuum conditions of deep space. This is achieved using a pressure vessel outfitted with thermal shrouds and a vacuum system. The air within the chamber is evacuated first using a conventional mechanical pumping system and then switching to a diffusion or cryogenic system to create the vacuum necessary for space simulation.
Chamber pressures can vary significantly depending on types of systems being used.
At the DFL, chamber pressures of 10 -7 torr can readily be attained. During launch, the satellite, whether launched aboard an expendable rocket or on the U.S. space shuttle, is subjected to enormous vibrational stresses. As such, it is critical to ensure that the satellite is able to withstand rocket engine vibrations and the gravity multiplying effects of extreme acceleration experienced during a launch. Anechoic, by definition, means having a very low degree of reverberation. An anechoic chamber therefore, is a chamber that minimizes the amount of reflection or reverberation of many different kinds of waves, including radio frequency and microwaves.