Europa Clipper Rolls Into Thermal Vacuum Testing
Industry Related News: United States
The Europa Clipper mission, NASA’s ambitious endeavor to explore Jupiter’s moon Europa, has reached a significant milestone. Recently, the spacecraft successfully entered the thermal vacuum testing phase, a crucial step in ensuring its readiness for the harsh environment of space.
During this phase, the spacecraft is subjected to extreme temperatures and vacuum conditions similar to those it will encounter during its journey to Jupiter and its moons. This rigorous testing allows engineers to evaluate the spacecraft’s performance and durability under such demanding circumstances.
Europa Clipper is equipped with a suite of scientific instruments designed to study Europa’s icy surface, subsurface ocean, and thin atmosphere. By understanding these features, scientists hope to assess the moon’s potential habitability and search for signs of life.
The spacecraft’s journey to Europa will be no easy feat, requiring it to withstand intense radiation from Jupiter’s magnetic field and extreme temperature variations. Therefore, the success of the thermal vacuum testing is a critical step in ensuring the spacecraft’s ability to endure the challenges of its mission.
Once the thermal testing is complete and the spacecraft is deemed ready, it will undergo further preparations before its scheduled launch. With each milestone achieved, the anticipation for the Europa Clipper mission grows, promising groundbreaking discoveries about one of the most intriguing destinations in our solar system.
Citation: NASA/JPL-Caltech. (2024, May 8). Europa Clipper Rolls Into Thermal Vacuum Testing. Retrieved from https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia26064-europa-clipper-rolls-into-thermal-vacuum-testing
ABOUT KHOURY INDUSTRIES
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 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.
For more information, contact:
Penny Aicardi
Khoury Industries
5 Mechanic Street
Bellingham, MA 02019
[email protected]
Our Thermal Testing & Cycling Devices
ELI-1000
A Remote, Compact Testing Solution
This revolutionary system combines a thermal source and custom or standard chamber into one system. The interchangeable chamber feature of the ELI-1000 allows users to easily accommodate their varying industry needs. The patented technology in the ELI-1000 allows for a steady state operation with a heating/cooling system that can be operated and controlled independently of each other.
Khoury Box
RF, Microwave Thermal testing
Controlling temperature with precision at the device case is a major benefit of the Khoury Box thermal test fixture. The DUT is isolated in a localized enclosure (at temperature) with the thermal air circulated around the device under test or DUT. Tester interface utilizes impedance-matched connections to ensure true and accurate test signals between the tester, the thermal test fixture, and the DUT.