TV2 Thermal vacuum environmental test-setup

Thermal vacuum test set-up for testing, cycling and calibration of space components.

The TV2 Thermal Vacuum test set-up of TNO’s Space Systems Engineering department is a medium-sized, high quality thermal vacuum chamber for testing components and sub assemblies of space instruments under realistic space conditions. With over 60 years of experience in thermal vacuum testing, TNO offers a reliable and accurate environment to validate design choices, measure performance, and demonstrate the operational robustness of hardware.

The TV2 is designed for representative thermal vacuum testing, including:

• Thermal cycling of space components

• Optical and mechanical stability tests under varying temperature profiles

• Calibrations of optical and opto mechanical sensors, including sun sensors

• Contamination monitoring with an automatic cold trap and residual gas analyzer (RGA)

Thanks to stable thermal behavior, precise vacuum control, and a large optical window, the TV2 is particularly suitable for qualification and performance testing.

Technical performance

• Shroud temperature range: +120 °C (±2 °C) to –150 °C (±4 °C)

• Cold plate temperatures: +100 °C to –170 °C

• Vacuum: better than 1×10⁻⁷ mbar

• Cold trap: –196 °C

• RGA: 0–200 amu

• Optical window: Ø 300 mm Infrasil quartz, >80% transmission (250–2500 nm)

Design & equipment

• Black coated shroud for stable thermal conditions

• Turbomolecular pump and fully automatic cold finger for precise contamination control

• Holders for molecular samples during outgassing tests

• Flexible electrical feedthroughs (Sub D) for various test configurations

• Option to integrate a 360° vacuum rotation stage

• Access to the test chamber from both the front and rear sides

• Remotely accessible control system with configurable SMS notifications

The TV2 is located in the Anthony van Leeuwenhoek laboratory at the TNO Delft site and complies with ISO Class 7 cleanroom specifications. The workspace is designed for safe, accurate, and representative space qualification testing and includes:

• ESD safe flooring and EPA zone

• Continuous monitoring of cleanroom conditions

• PT100 high resolution temperature sensors

• 15 m² shielded workspace for, among other things, solar simulators

• Connected to a 24/7 staffed emergency response system

• Active risk assessment (RI\&E) and periodic safety inspections

The TV2 is used for, among other things:

• Thermal cycles for components and sub assemblies

• Calibration of optical and opto mechanical instruments

• Testing with a 360° rotatable vacuum stage

• Outgassing tests and contamination evaluations

• Verification of sun sensors using available TNO test set ups