Walk in Room Chamber

Industry: Aerospace

Testing Application: Replicating Environmental Conditions Satellite Experience in Space.

A global leader in e-commerce and technology needed a specialized walk-in chamber to test the environmental durability of their satellites. They required a massive, high-performance chamber capable of simulating the extreme temperature fluctuations of space while ensuring the safety of both their equipment and personnel. The project demanded a custom-engineered solution with precise temperature control, significant internal workspace, and dedicated safety features tailored for satellite testing. Due to the volume of their testing needs, they placed an order for six identical chambers to ensure consistency and repeatability across their entire product line.

The AES Solution

Associated Environmental Systems (AES) rose to the challenge, designing and constructing a colossal walk-in chamber optimized for rigorous satellite environmental testing. The repeatability of the test process was a key consideration, leading to the creation of a standardized, high-performance design that could be replicated precisely for all six chambers.

• Chamber Workspace: With a large interior of 2,688 cu. ft, the chamber provides ample room for full-sized satellites and their support equipment. The chamber features a 10' W x 12' H bi-part door with a notch for a beam, allowing for easy loading and unloading of large-scale units.
• Precision Temperature Control: This chamber is designed to maintain temperatures from −40∘C to 85∘C with an exceptional stability of ±1.0∘C. It features a rapid temperature rise and pull down rate of 5°C/min, enabling quick and efficient test cycles. The forced-air circulation, powered by heavy-duty motors and stainless steel blowers, ensures uniform temperature distribution throughout the massive space.
• Safety and Custom Features: The chamber includes critical safety systems, such as a gaseous nitrogen purge system to prevent condensation and minimize humidity. The heated pass-through ports (four 6" on each side wall, two 12" on the ceiling, and one 10" on the ceiling) protect cabling and vents from condensation, while a static load capacity of up to 2000 kg supports heavy satellite structures.
• Remote Monitoring Capability: Equipped with AESONE CONNECT® and a Watlow F4T touchscreen programmable controller, this chamber allows precise, automated test sequences that can be monitored remotely.
• Certifications: The power panel is UL-508A certified, and the controller is calibrated to ISO 17025:2005 ILAC A2LA standards, ensuring reliability and accuracy.

Tailored for Your Test Setup

This custom walk-in chamber was purpose-built to support the demanding environmental testing of our customer's satellites. By combining immense internal space, tight temperature control, and a suite of custom features, AES delivered a solution that ensures the reliability and performance of their products in the harsh conditions of space. The repeatability across all six chambers highlights AES’s expertise in creating large-scale, custom-engineered solutions for the aerospace sector, helping to drive innovation and ensure the success of critical space exploration and communication technologies.