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The Space Power Facility (SPF) houses the world's largest space environment simulation chamber measuring 100 ft. in diameter by 122 ft. high. The facility was designed and constructed to test both nuclear and non-nuclear space hardware in a simulated Low-Earth-Orbiting environment. Although the facility was designed for testing nuclear hardware, only non-nuclear tests have been performed throughout its history. Some of the test programs that have been performed at the facility include high-energy experiments, rocket-fairing separation tests, Mars Lander system tests, deployable Solar Sail tests and International Space Station hardware tests. The SPF is located at the NASA Glenn Research Center at the Plum Brook site.
The facility can sustain a high vacuum (10-6 torr); simulate solar radiation via a 4-MW quartz heat lamp array, solar spectrum by a 400-kW arc lamp, and cold environments (-320 °F) with a variable geometry cryogenic cold wall.
The facility is available on a full-cost reimbursable basis to government, universities, and the private sector.
Assembly Area
The SPF Facility layout is ideal for performing multiple test programs. The facility was originally designed for test build-up in the Assembly Area followed by installation into the chamber for testing and post-test teardown of radioactive hardware in the Disassembly Area. The advantage of having both areas available is that it allows for two complex tests to be prepared simultaneously. One test can be prepared in an assembly area while another test is being conducted in the vacuum chamber. Large chamber doors provide access to the test chamber from either area.
Aluminum Test Chamber
The Aluminum Test Chamber is a vacuum-tight aluminum plate vessel that is 100 ft. in diameter and 122 ft. high. Designed for an external pressure of 2.5 psig and internal pressure of 5.0 psig, the chamber is constructed of Type 5083 aluminum which is a clad on the interior surface with a 1/8-in. thick type 3003 aluminum for corrosion resistance. This material was selected because of its low neutron absorption cross-section. The floor plate and vertical shell are 1-in. (total) thick, while the dome shell is 1 3/8 in. Welded circumferentially to the exterior surface is aluminum structural T-section members that are 3-ft. deep and 2 ft. wide. The doors of the test chamber are 50 X 50 ft. in size and have double door seals to prevent leakage. The chamber floor was designed for a load of 300 tons.
Concrete Chamber Enclosure
The concrete chamber enclosure serves not only as a radiological shield but also as a primary vacuum barrier from atmospheric pressure. 130-ft. in diameter and 150-ft. in height, the chamber was designed to withstand atmospheric pressure outside of the chamber at the same time vacuum conditions are occurring within. The concrete thickness varies from 6-8 ft. and contains a leak-tight steel containment barrier embedded within. The chamber's doors are 50 X 50 and have inflatable seals. The space between the concrete enclosure and the aluminum test chamber is pumped down to a pressure of 20 torr (0.5 psia) during a test. |
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