Design and Manufacture of Pilot Scale Thermal Vacuum Chamber

The space environment is characterized by a harsh environment in which high vacuum environments, high temperatures caused by solar radiation, and extremely low temperatures are repeated.A device that can simulate the space environment is needed to ensure that space equipment operates properly in these environments.The vacuum state provides an extremely clean environment.It provides an environment similar to the space environment, including insulation effect, long-distance flight function for particles, evaporation and sublimation, maintenance of stable plasma, and inhibition of biochemical reactions, so it is used in basic science and technology fields, semiconductor manufacturing, and space.It is applied in fields such as aircraft production.For this purpose, the design and manufacturing method of a pilot-scale thermal vacuum chamber, one of the space environment simulation devices produced by the researcher, was introduced in this study.The detailed research covers three main areas: vacuum chamber system design and production, barrier cover design and production, and performance testing.Detailed drawings were designed using 2D and 3D, and the vacuum chamber system and isolation cover were fabricated using machining and welding.The performance test consisted of a vacuum level test using a low-vacuum/high-vacuum gauge, temperature measurement using a temperature sensor, and helium leakage test measurement.The pilot-scale thermal vacuum chamber designed and manufactured in this study enables performance inspection tests in the lunar environment.It can reproduce ultra-high vacuum environments, considered extreme environments, extremely low temperatures, and solar radiation heat.Performance evaluation and testing devices for exploration equipment are required when harsh environments are implemented, testing procedures can be established, and reliability can be secured with the equipment produced in this study.