AEDC simulates deep space test for NASA mission

  • Published
  • By Bradley Hicks
  • AEDC/PA
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. --  Can man-made technology not only survive some of the harshest conditions in the known cosmos but also continue to perform its mission?

SSL, a company under contract to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, has called upon Arnold Engineering Development Complex to find out.

Bao Hoang, SSL project manager, commented that, “AEDC has very unique test capabilities and engineering expertise that are not common in the industry.”

Testing for SSL is ongoing in the 7A Space Chamber at Arnold Air Force Base. This test essentially involves simulating deep space conditions to subject a panel from a larger solar array to extreme temperatures.

“It’s a fairly typical 7A test,” said Lindsay Anderson, test engineer/analyst in the Space and Missiles Combined Test Force. “It’s what we refer to as a thermal vacuum test. Basically, we pump 7A down, pull as much of the atmosphere out as we can, and then we cycle the temperature between hot and cold points.”

The 7A Space Chamber can reach -424 degrees Fahrenheit and, in the recent past, has tested at temperatures ranging from -340 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

The solar array panel arrived in early April. Testing began soon afterward and primarily involves examining how the panel and its wiring, in particular the side that faces away from the sun, respond to deep space.

“It’s an environmental test of these particular components,” said David Ball, test manager in the Space and Missiles CTF.

The solar array panel being tested is relatively small, able to fit atop a typical conference room table, but it represents a much larger solar array as the test results are scalable. If it is determined that the panel would survive, many such panels could be used to construct a solar array which could be used on NASA’s deep space mission to the asteroid belt.

The array would work in much the same way as earthbound solar panels by harnessing energy from the sun to provide power to a satellite.

An emphasis is being placed on how the panel performs in the extremely cold temperatures the 7A Space Chamber is capable of producing.

Anderson said the test simulates conditions around the asteroid belt, where temperatures can range down to -160 degrees Fahrenheit. The asteroid belt is located between Mars and Jupiter, more than 300 million miles from Earth.

Ball said SSL is a commercial company supporting NASA, so this is not a test of Department of Defense capabilities. However, he said the test is an example of the services AEDC can provide.

“It shows the diversity of programs and test capabilities we can offer across a wide spectrum of customers supporting various government programs,” Ball said. “We’re actually pretty excited about this and we expect to have continuing work in this area, whether we’re supporting DOD, NASA or other programs.”

The SSL thermal vacuum test is not the first time SSL has relied upon AEDC test engineers and facilities. In 2016, AEDC tested SSL’s Roll-Out Solar Array (ROSA), a flexible and lightweight solar array that can be rolled up for launch and unrolled in space for use. ROSA was tested in the 7A Space Chamber in preparation for its successful experimental deployment from the International Space Station in June 2017.

“This company has been here before, and they seem to be pleased with the work our test team is doing,” Ball said.

The current SSL testing is slated to continue through the end of July.