Industry Related News: United States – September, 2021:
Euclid is the ESA’s (European Space Agency) most recent project to undergo extensive thermal testing ahead of its launch in 2022. The element that was tested, the telescope, will be used to study dark matter and dark energy once it reaches space. While many will recognize matter and its purpose, dark matter is the lesser understood type of matter that makes up over 85% of the known universe. For something so common, we still lack a thorough understanding of what it is composed of or how it truly operates. Dark matter/energy cannot be detected directly, so the telescope will instead analyze the distribution of galaxies in the universe. This information can be used to better understand how dark matter operates, as it is responsible for the universe’s continuous expansion. Euclid will be able to detect galaxies within ten billion light-years with an unprecedented level of accuracy.
Euclid only recently underwent testing, though it has been in development for many years. The thermal testing process began when the telescope was sealed in a large vacuum chamber for two months. This chamber was used to simulate the harsh environments of space, allowing engineers and scientists to ensure the telescope could perform in such an environment. The chamber hit temperatures as low as -150°C (-238°F), and multiple tests were conducted during this duration of time. As the telescope’s primary function will be observing galaxies, the thermal testing process included the observation of fake galaxies/stars. These simulated stars were generated by another telescope (in reverse), which were then interpreted by Euclid. The thermal testing process was a success, though one brief error occurred. This anomaly was quickly resolved with little to no impact, ensuring the craft will be ready for its upcoming launch.
Having passed this round of thermal testing, the telescope will be relocated to Thales Alenia Space in Italy where it will be joined with the rest of Euclid. Once the craft is complete, it will undergo additional thermal testing as one unit. This extra step will ensure that the craft as a whole can operate at a satisfactory level once it reaches space sometime in 2022. Thermal testing is an incredibly important aspect of ESA’s and NASA’s development process, as it allows engineers and scientists to understand how their projects will perform in new environments. This type of testing can be used in a wide variety of fields, so check out some of the potential uses and our available products to see what thermal testing can do for you.
phys.org, “Euclid telescope ready for extreme space environment“ phys.org, 29 September 2021, Accessed 5 October 2021.
arc.nasa.org, “Euclid“ arc.nasa.org, Accessed 5 October 2021.
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Khoury Industries is a worldwide leader in temperature testing equipment for device characterization, thermal cycling equipment, and failure analysis. Khoury Industries designs and manufactures custom thermal testing chambers and microwave thermal testing fixtures used in a variety of industries including: military, space, automotive, medical, research, and communication fields. The Khoury Box and the patented ELI-1000 have quickly become industry favorites as thermal testing devices used to ensure the reliability of industrial and electronic products through prolonged exposure to extreme conditions.
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