8mφ Space Chamber


	The 8m diameter Space Chamber, a perpendicular vacuum cylinder, simulates aspects of the space environment, such as high vacuum, cold, darkness, and high temperature, on the ground. This facility is used to evaluate the heat design of a spacecraft and to check a spacecraft's tolerance in the space environment. This Space Chamber uses helium gas (20K) circulated by cryogenic pumps to simulate a high-vacuum environment. Black panels called "shrouds" cover the entire surface of the inner wall, inside which liquid nitrogen circulates to simulate a dark, cold environment, while being refilled for its evaporated LN. The solar simulator creates a high-temperature environment using xenon lamps, which have a spectrum similar to that of sunlight, as a light source. With this chamber, the simulated solar radiation comes from the top of the perpendicular cylinder. The interface section for test objects is partially common to the 13mφ Space Chamber and the 6mφ Radiometer Space Chamber.