Industry Related News: United States – October, 2021:
One of NASA’s latest projects, the Dragonfly Mass Spectrometer, has been undergoing continuous thermal vacuum testing for the past few months. This important project is part of ongoing efforts to measure waves in space-time that result from collisions, as well as the continued exploration of Titan (Saturn’s largest moon). Results from both experiments could provide more insight into how our universe works, and SLAC (the Space Laser Assembly Cleanroom) is excited about what this laser could reveal once it reaches space.
Exploring these types of extreme environments requires adequate thermal testing, which helps demonstrate how the craft will perform in space. This testing takes place in the SLAC thermal vacuum chamber, a massive unit used for thermal testing on space-flight class laser systems. Within this chamber, scientists will perform various tests designed to ensure the laser can adequately perform in the harshest conditions. As lasers can be incredibly difficult to work with, thermal vacuum testing is more important than usual. The team has discussed the inherent difficulties of the project, including the fact that lasers require perfect conditions to work in. If the laser was inadequately performing, it would not be able to communicate with earth. The SLAC is the ideal place to construct this type of laser, as they have thermal testing chambers that can test the unit at different stages, including when it is fully assembled. Otherwise, the craft would constantly need to be transferred between teams and locations. Assembling at one location has helped the team to cut back on costs while increasing efficiency across the board.
Despite obstacles and difficulties, the team is extremely excited about the upcoming project. With continuous rounds of thermal vacuum testing, the team can ensure the laser is still performing as expected throughout all stages of development, which will lead to lower risks and costs. With the goal to uncover more information on the origins of planets and life in the universe as a whole, the possibilities are endless.
phys.org, “Lasers to Probe Origin of Life on a Frigid Moon and Take the Space-time Pulse of Star-shattering Collisions“ phys.org, Accessed 31 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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Penny Aicardi
Khoury Industries
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