The OU has a number of vacuum chambers customised to become Planetary Environmental Simulators, some of which can be used for general space environment testing.
Large Mars chamber
This chamber is capable of recreating the Martian environment for large scale simulation of the Martian surface (aeolian transport etc) or to test large instruments or rover subsystems:
- Dimensions: 0.9m diam x 1.8m length
- Temp range: -70°C to +110°C
- Environment: CO2/N2 atmosphere at 6mbar
- Illumination: UV solar sim
Small Mars Chamber
An environmental chamber allowing automated simulation of the Martian surface environment.
- Dimensions: 0.7m diam x 1.2m length
- Temp range: -70°C to +110°CEnvironment: CO2/N2 atmosphere at 6mbar
- Illumination: UV solar sim
- Cycling: automated pressure and thermal control for thermal cycling
- Sterilisation: sustained temp >110°C for continuous periods for DHMR sterilisation (dry heat microbial reduction)
Icy bodies chamber
An environmental chamber allowing automated simulation of conditions on icy bodies such as Europa, Ganymede and Enceladus.
- Dimensions: 140mm diam x 150mm height
- Cold temp: -150°C
- Illumination: solar simulator via top port
- Cycling: automated pressure and thermal control for thermal cycling
- Viewports: horizontal and angled
Mercury chamber
This facility is an upright cylindrical chamber allowing simulation of some of the conditions encountered on Mercury, and is also used for testing instruments that are going to be flown in a space environment where they will be subject to an extreme temperature range, as well as the vacuum of space.
- Dimensions: 0.7m diam x 0.8m height
- Temp range: -100°C to +180°C
- Illumination: high power xenon solar simulator
- Vacuum: <105 mbar
