Thermal vacuum chamber

A thermal vacuum chamber (TVC) is a vacuum chamber in which the radiative thermal environment is controlled.

Typically the thermal environment is achieved by passing liquids or fluids through thermal shrouds for cold temperatures or through the application of thermal lamps for high temperatures.

Thermal vacuum chambers are frequently used for testing spacecraft or parts thereof under a simulated space environment.

Examples

• NASA's Space Environment Simulation Laboratory at the Johnson Space Center, Ref: http://oim.hq.nasa.gov/oia/scap/docs/SCAP_THERMALVAC_A_112508_508.pdf.
• NASA's Space Power Facility (World's Largest thermal vacuum chamber) at the Glenn Research Center, Ref: http://facilities.grc.nasa.gov/spf/index.html.
• NASA's Spacecraft Propulsion Research Facility (Very Large Thermal vacuum chamber) at the Glenn Research Center, Ref: http://facilities.grc.nasa.gov/b2/index.html.
• NASA's Cryogenic Propellant Tank Facility (K-Site) (Large thermal vacuum chamber supporting dust experiments) at the Glenn Research Center, Ref: http://facilities.grc.nasa.gov/ksite/index.html.
• ESA Large Space Simulator
• NASA DynaVac 36" T/V Chamber

See also

• Vacuum engineering
• Vacuum chamber
• Thermal Vacuum Chamber