ACS BUILD LARGE THERMAL VACUUM CHAMBER FOR RAL SPACE
RAL Space is an integral part of the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). RAL Space carries out excellent space research and technology development with involvement in over 210 space missions.
Contracts worth £19 million have been awarded for the first of the major facilities for the National Satellite Test Facility (NSTF) which is to be built and operated by STFC RAL Space, located on the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire.
The contracts are the first steps in meeting the UK space industry's need for a set of co-located world-class facilities for environmental testing of space payloads and satellites, including a large space test chamber, vibration facility and the combined electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and antenna measurement system.
Angelantoni Test Technologies is honored to be the supplier of the large space test chamber that will be delivered in 6 large loads to be assembled on site at the NSTF. With an internal, usable size of 7m diameter by 12m long, the chamber will be the largest of its kind in the UK and amongst the giants of Europe. It has a temperature range of 95K to 400K - settable independently in 10 specific areas (shrouds) - providing the conditions needed to test a variety of complex science missions as well as commercial satellites for Earth orbit.
Construction of the actual building is due to start in November 2018 and the build program will run through to the spring of 2020.
This project emphasizes the excellence achieved by our Company in this field, thanks to the full capability to supply turnkey equipment available also with additional items such as solar simulation, horizontality control system, data acquisition and monitoring systems, etc.
Angelantoni Test Technologies has added this ambitious project to its large TVC portfolio including some of the major world space agencies such as Thales Alenia Space in Italy/France, CIRA in Italy, ESA in The Netherlands, Roscomos in Russia, ISRO in India, KARI in Korea, ANGKASA in Malaysia and CONAE in Argentina.
