Our Electric Propulsion Laboratory is equipped with three vacuum chambers. Two vacuum chambers, named MSL-VC1 and MSL-VC2 are L‐shaped, approximately 0.6 m diameter by 1.5 m long. The third chamber, MSL-VC3, is cylindrical with a diameter of about 0.5 m and a length of 0.6 m.
Our facilities are private facilities but access can be arranged.
Chamber MSL-VC1
Pumping Speed 2,200 l/s, Base Pressure <1E-7 mbar
The facility has been used to flight qualify the first PPT for CubeSat applications and to test a PPT for nano-satellite applications.
Chamber MSL-VC2
Pumping Speed 8,600 l/s, Base Pressure < 9E-8 mbar – operating pressure 5.2E-5 mbar with 20 sccm of Xe. MSL-VC2 is normally used to perform tests on hollow cathodes, hollow cathode thrusters and ring cusp ion thruster, including plasma measurements.
Chamber MSL-VC3
Pumping Speed 2,200 l/s, Base Pressure < 9E-8 mbar – operating pressure 1.1E-4 mbar with 20 sccm of Xe. MSL-VC3 is normally used to perform tests on hollow cathodes and on mini RF ion engine thruster. The chamber is equipped with a Residual Gas Analyser (0-200 amu)
